


Vacation

by trufflemores_Glee_fic



Category: Glee
Genre: Disney, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 22:13:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11587221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trufflemores_Glee_fic/pseuds/trufflemores_Glee_fic
Summary: Kurt and Blaine go to Disney World!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everybody! After receiving multiple requests to repost my old Glee fics, I have created a second AO3 account to do so. I hope you can forgive me for flooding the Glee pages over the next few days. 
> 
> I also ask for kindness regarding the quality of these fics. Over on my main AO3 account (trufflemores), I have written over 150 Flash fics; end result, my current work is of a higher quality than these older pieces. But I know how beloved old fics can be, and I respect that something I consider sub-par can be someone else's favorite. 
> 
> So I hope you enjoy this fic and any others you choose to read. If you choose to do so, I would also be happy to have you on board 'The Flash' bandwagon as well.
> 
> Kick back, relax, and enjoy. You have been one of the greatest audiences I have ever had.
> 
> Affectionately yours,  
> trufflemores

"I can't believe we're really here." Blaine was beaming from ear-to-ear, spinning in a slow circle as Kurt fiddled with the strap of his satchel absentmindedly, trying to adjust it so it rested more comfortably on his shoulder. "Kurt. We're in Disney World."

"Actually, we're at the Grand Floridian," Kurt corrected, finding a length that he could tolerate before letting the satchel fall to his side properly.

"Which is still very much a part of Disney World," Blaine reminded, unwilling to be brought down. "We're here."

"And it is a balmy eighty-five degrees and sunny," Kurt agreed, reaching down to flip open the top of his satchel and dig around for sunscreen as Blaine groaned and collapsed melodramatically onto one of the nearby shaded benches (Kurt still didn't know how the metal wasn't scalding his skin). Splaying out in appropriately chagrined starfish fashion, Blaine tilted his head to look at him, a pout firmly in place.

Kurt had insofar foiled every single one of Blaine's overenthusiastic plans to seize the day. It had started when he had refused to crawl out of bed until seven, culminated in a morning smoothie after an abbreviated warmup workout, and eventually led to them waiting patiently outside their resort hotel for the bus to come along after snagging a coffee (because Kurt Hummel did not do anything without at least a cups of coffee, let alone tackle one of the biggest theme parks in the world).

Rubbing an extra layer of sunscreen into his skin, Kurt replaced the bottle in his bag when he was finished, rolling his eyes as Blaine refused to budge. "Blistering sunburns are not a part of the Disney magic, Blaine." Even so, Kurt wasn't complaining at the view: summery and tanned in his khaki shorts, dark blue shirt, and a pair of matching blue sunglasses, Blaine looked delectable, curls pleasantly free for a change.

Kurt was dressed modestly to accommodate the heat, choosing to accessorize his outfit with a dark silver watch and a matching pair of steel-gray shorts with a white top, a short-brimmed hat topping off the look. He still felt underdressed, but it was hard to focus on that when Blaine looked so comfortable in his clothes, matching Kurt in style if not color palette.

There were other people waiting on the platform for the Monorail, of course, but it felt comfortably sparse due to the sparing nature of off-season crowds. Kurt had insisted that they wait until November to finally visit, knowing that the heat would be scorching from March until well into October before finally cooling off. Thankfully, New York was a suitably exciting place in the summer to keep them both distracted from the trip until well into August, at which point Blaine had started planning their vacation and hadn't stopped until they'd touched down in Orlando almost twelve hours ago.

It had been a long night, flying out of New York at five and not reaching their destination until eight, their hotel till nine. Thankfully, the Disney experience was everything that Kurt had remembered it to be and more, fresher, more refined, and more starkly etched into his adult memory than it ever could have been as a child. He remembered the whimsicality and the joy of Disney from before, but he hadn't captured just how Disney everything was, from the carpeted floors to the lush, sweeping views just outside their window.

"This is beautiful," Blaine had said, dazed, amazed, as they stared at the lights gleaming off the lake that their hotel bordered, along with two other resorts and -- distantly -- the Magic Kingdom itself.

Hooking his chin over Blaine's shoulder, Kurt had squeezed his waist and pulled him away after a time to freshen up in the shower (together, because it was so rare that they had a shower big enough to comfortably accommodate two) before curling up under the sheets for a well-deserved night's sleep.

Now that they were finally branching out from their hotel (and all of its frankly overwhelming commodities), Kurt could feel the excitement itching under his own skin as the Monorail train finally appeared around the bend, coming to a slow halt at the loading platform before opening its doors.

Blaine launched himself from the bench and skittered inside faster than Kurt had known was possible, seizing one of the metal poles in gleeful anticipation as Kurt shuffled in beside him, curling his fingers around a different pole delicately. It was cleaner than a subway -- and infinitely less populated, with only the two of them and a brace of teenagers in the adjacent seating area sharing their car and Kurt found that he enjoyed the sojourn from hotel to park even more than expected. The view was dazzling, and nothing compared to the singularly exhilarating declaration of Welcome to the Magic Kingdom resort.

The teenagers remained when the doors opened, but Blaine seized Kurt's hand and immediately hauled him off the car and onto the off-loading platform, beaming. "Oh my God, Kurt -- we're here," he said, and then because he was Blaine he swept in for a quick, slightly off-center but surprisingly passionate kiss before breaking away and half-leading, half-dragging, Kurt down the long ramp to the park gates.

They fell into the queue of pre-purchased ticket buyers and were duly checked over for illegal substances before being admitted to the park itself, passing underneath a train station bridge before emerging into the gleaming square that was Main Street USA.

"Wow," Blaine said, evidently struck speechless by the sight as he gazed, open-mouthed, at the street leading up to Cinderella's Castle. His hand flexed around Kurt's, squeezing and relaxing as he took in the sight. "This is amazing. This is like, the greatest thing ever. Kurt."

And because he was cute and Kurt couldn't resist him (especially with his curls free and his voice tinged with such genuine awe), Kurt leaned in and planted a firm kiss on his cheek. "I know."

* * *

The great thing about Disney was that it was a family park, and in the spirit of spending time with each other and being in constant, close proximity, all the rides enabled Kurt and Blaine to sit (sometimes slightly squished, but still comfortable, no less) right next to each other.

As they circled around the park, they ambled into the Pirates of the Caribbean ride first. The ride was pleasantly cool and charmingly realistic. The misty and fleetingly smoky smell combined with high-tech animatronics to bring to mind a window into another civilization and a different, stranger time, rather than just an amusing diversion from his own ponderous affairs. Kurt enjoyed the atmosphere itself almost as much as he enjoyed the smile on Blaine's face, his voice soft but still detectable as he hummed along to A Pirate's Life for Me as the boat milled down its designated path.

Afterward, they browsed through suitably pirate-y gear in the attached gift shop together. Kurt arched an eyebrow when he saw Blaine wearing a jauntily placed black hat, scouring the shelves with a thoughtful frown and turning to Kurt briefly. "Where's Sebastian when you need him?" he asked, letting out a pleased aha as he located and picked up a fake eye patch, holding it to his left eye. "How do I look?"

Ambling forward so he could pluck the eye patch from Blaine's hands and give him a proper kiss, Kurt replied, "Perfect. Although the pirate hat is kind of ridiculous."

"It's very ridiculous," Blaine agreed solemnly. Which was, of course, why he then immediately swapped Kurt's hat with it and ignored his resultant hey.

Ruffled hair was not his most flattering look, but Blaine's laugh was worth it as Blaine replaced the hat on the shelf and let Kurt reclaim his own, tucking it over his hair once more.

They managed to hit Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain within the hour. By the time they emerged, soaked and sporting skin-tight clothing from the latter, Kurt proposed a break to dry off, sitting on a bench in Liberty Square as they basked in the sunshine (Kurt reapplying another layer of sunscreen as soon as his skin dried enough to permit it, ignoring the way Blaine scrunched up in his nose in baffled bemusement).

It was almost three in the afternoon by the time they needed to stop for refreshments, well into the new Fantasyland area as Kurt picked up drinks while Blaine fanned himself with a Disney Park map, fanning Kurt playfully until it was their time to order. They guzzled down water and devoured two cinnamon rolls at Gaston's Tavern before almost walking into, well, Gaston.

They hadn't actually planned to meet any of the characters, but the opportunity to be in the presence of any Disney character was too good to resist, especially when said Disney character hailed them by saying, "Well, it isn't often that I'm in the presence of two strapping gentlemen almost as handsome as me."

He then proceeded to explain exactly how Blaine should style his hair to more accurately mimic his own crisp coif, gesturing carelessly with a hand at the desired hairstyle. Blaine vowed that he would give it a try, Kurt scrunching up his nose in dismay.

They both watched with appropriate rapture as Gaston flexed, showing them his biceps and asking Kurt to show off his, which of course prompted from Gaston a long pause (Kurt had been working out, after all) and a deadpan, "You must eat a lot of eggs." Then, smiling as he returned his attention to his own biceps, he loudly proclaimed, "Fear not; if you eat enough eggs, then someday yours might be almost as magnificent as Gaston's."

Then he pulled them in for a photo, one arm around each of their shoulders as they posed before thanking him and moving on to other things, touring the rest of Fantasyland in a lazy state of appreciation. The lines were still considerable for most of the attractions even during the off-season, and without any desire to wait more than a half hour for a particular attraction they moved from one to the next without hesitation. At last, they hit It's a Small World, boasting a mere ten-minute wait time and proving thus irresistible to Blaine. Bereft of a suitable argument, Kurt settled for burying his face in Blaine's shoulder and groaning for the duration of the boat ride as Blaine laughed and kissed his temple.

Light cloud cover was moving in by four, boasting an eventual thunderstorm on the horizon, and so Kurt and Blaine didn't linger long enough in Fantasyland to visit its more child-oriented attractions, bee-lining towards Tomorrowland by looping around Cinderella's Castle.

Tomorrowland was all about cool space-related attractions. While the Monsters Inc. and Toy Story themed rides were distinctly child-oriented in nature, the veritable hallmark of Tomorrowland -- Space Mountain -- remained one of the Magic Kingdom's most popular attractions.

Refusing to be daunted by the forty minute wait time, Kurt and Blaine slid into the queue and began the long process of entering the steel monolith that was Space Mountain, walking briskly up the tunnels as the line thinned out until they were at the loading docks.

With Blaine piling in the front of the car and Kurt in the seat behind him, Kurt couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation as the car skidded forward on its track, rounding a short bend into darkness as the coaster booted up.

Even with the safety bar across his lap firmly in place, Kurt's heart rate still accelerated as they zipped forward, his hands tightening around the seat as they plunged up a flashing tunnel before climbing a much steeper one to the top.

"Sure this was a good idea?" Blaine asked, a touch nervously, and Kurt relaxed, calmed by the thought that he wasn't the only one a little intimidated.

"No," he admitted honestly and then laughed at the absurdity of it, children rode Space Mountain and emerged untouched and beaming from ear-to-ear. Surely they could handle it, too.

Then the car crested the peak of the ridge and zipped down, Kurt's laughter turning into a howl as Blaine whoo-hoooooed in the car in front of him. There was too much darkness for Kurt to discern the path, too much momentum to see the rail in front of them before they were flying over it, moving at a speed that he conservatively regarded as breakneck.

By the time they came to a halt at the end, Kurt emerged from his pod on shaky colt legs, all but clinging to Blaine as they stumble-walked over to the counter to see their portraits from the ride. Blaine, at least, looked like he was enjoying himself; Kurt was still caught mid-howl, cringing in his seat and hiding partially behind Blaine's shoulder.

Electing not to immortalize that particular photo, they weaved through the gift shop at the end of the ride and emerged into a cloudier scene than before, hands intertwined as they walked across the plaza in aimless appreciation of it all.

"We still haven't gotten any real souvenirs," Blaine pointed out as they crossed the short bridge leading back to the stony front of Cinderella's Castle, swinging their arms lightly between them.

"We have all week," Kurt reminded, his heart soaring at the thought -- so much to see, so much to do, and they'd only grazed the surface -- before adding, "There's another gift shop around the corner."

And so there was -- Main Street USA was full of them, packed together cookie-cutter style as Kurt and Blaine traipsed through the shops, pulling tacky t-shirts off the wall in an attempt to find the tackiest one before Blaine located the Mickey Mouse ear section and all further exploration was abandoned.

"Kurt," he said suddenly, and before Kurt knew it a pair of Mouse ears was being thrust over his head, momentarily reclaiming the seat of his hat as Blaine donned a matching pair and beamed.

Matching groom Mickey Mouse ears. One could not say that Disney didn't have something for everyone.

After producing solemn vows for a slice of strawberry cheesecake and a back rub later, Kurt allowed Blaine to buy the awful (wonderful) Mouse ears as their second souvenirs from the trip, joining their souvenir photo with Gaston.

They decided to dine back at the hotel to avoid the growing masses settling into the part for the evening exploration, leaning against each other on the Monorail while Blaine held onto the Mouse ears for safekeeping. It was almost seven by the time they ate, Blaine producing the aforementioned cheesecake that Kurt ended up boxing to take with them to the room.

Kurt fell onto the bed face-first in a sort of divine contentment, listening to the rain outside as Blaine set the cheesecake in the fridge and the Mouse ears on the desk before joining him, curling up at his side.

"Best day ever," he pronounced, even as Kurt huffed out a laugh and draped an arm over him.

He loved Disney, but mostly he loved Blaine, who somehow made everything that much more magical just by being there.

"I love you," Kurt said in reply, turning over so he could kiss Blaine. "I love you and I'm so glad we're here."

Blaine smiled, leaning down to kiss his cheeks, his forehead, his closed eyelids as they fluttered shut before admitting in a hushed voice, "I love you, too."

Resting his cheek against Blaine's, Kurt hugged him close, savoring the fact that he was in Disney World.


	2. Chapter 2

The second day of their Disney trip was swelteringly hot. Even Blaine elected to wear a nice, summery hat in addition to white shorts and a red polo, wolfing down his breakfast in record time in order to hit the parks as early as possible. Indulgently, Kurt was ready by eight, even though his morning warmup workout was cut short as a result. He somehow managed to scarf down a muffin and a coffee before Blaine all but dragged him off to the bus, wriggling with excitement.

And so Kurt was reviewing the settings on his camera, dangling comfortably around his neck while his trusty satchel sat at his side, while Blaine hung onto one of the bus poles loosely, looking down at Kurt every now and then before glancing back out the windows. The bus was only lightly populated, enabling Kurt to sit and take advantage of the down time before they arrived at the park for the day.

By nine thirty, they were past the gates and inside the park, gazing thoughtfully up at the towering foliage as Kurt consulted a map of the park absentmindedly. It was difficult to put a scale to it -- the map made the long, winding paths seem negligibly short -- but Kurt quickly gave up reading it in favor of using it as a makeshift fan. The temperature was already eighty-eight and climbing; humidity steeped in the air.

"This is amazing," Blaine said, laughing when Kurt huffed and flapped his map a little more vigorously. "Is that a -- oh my God, Kurt, look!" He trotted over to the nearest railing surrounding an island of tiny trees with a gleeful cry of, "Look at all the birds."

There were toucans sporting feathers in several exotic and hitherto unknown color palettes, flamingos with both vibrant and pale pink plumages bobbing along near the pools of water, and herons ducking inconsequentially in and out of sight. Kurt snapped a candid of Blaine beaming at a toucan, almost close enough to touch as they stood nose-to-nose for a moment before the toucan cocked its head to one side and Blaine turned to Kurt with a delighted, "It looked at me."

Kurt dared to come closer to take another picture of the toucan alone, the bright white breast feathers standing in stark contrast with its mostly black coat. Charmingly immune to their excitement, the toucan ruffled its feathers once before settling more firmly on its branch, staring at both of them with only a touch of curiosity. Kurt was convinced that the bird could pass its days happily with only trees for company and found humans a passing and unintelligible novelty, its head cocked in that What are you looking at? way.

"You are so beautiful," Blaine said, and he probably meant it, too, gazing with undisguised wonder at the bird.

The toucan, to its credit, merely blinked and cocked its head a little more in that indefinably curious way before letting out a loud Wrach!

Kurt laughed as Blaine jumped at the noise, the toucan letting out three more of its strange, croaking Wrach, wrach, wrachs in quick succession.

They found another toucan hovering nearby, lingering for another appreciative moment before Blaine spotted the flamingos bopping along under the trees and refused to be moved until Kurt said, "I thought you wanted to do the Safari ride before it got crowded?"

Which was all the encouragement he needed to loop an arm through Kurt's and all but drag him off towards the center of the park.

Unlike the Magic Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom sprawled and wondered and branched off in indeterminate paths. There were postmarkers indicating where certain attractions could be found -- including the Tree of Life's It's Tough to Be a Bug attraction and the Kilimanjaro Safari ride -- but the small tourist shops and the overarching wildlife-friendly design overshadowed any attempts at streamlining, creating a bewildering array of manmade structures and natural elements.

They crossed a long bridge that lead into the main section of the park before bee-lining to the left, following the wooden posts towards the Safari. Kurt let Blaine lead the way, trusting his navigational skills as the crowds milled off in all directions around them.

At last -- with only one brief conversation of "Are you sure this is the right way?" and "Positive" -- they found the end of the line. With a wait time of twenty minutes, they filed into the queue, Kurt again fiddling with the settings on his camera as Blaine pointed out all the Swahili name posts hanging overhead (including, as it were, "Simba," which meant lion).

A mere ten minutes passed before they were piling into one of the rugged-looking open vehicles used for the tours, Kurt squeezed onto the far left as Blaine sat in the middle, a middle-aged couple filing in beside him.

"Jambo, everyone, and welcome to the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. For your safety and the safety of others, please remain seated at all times. Friendly reminder to keep all arms, legs, hands, and feet inside the vehicle at all times," a peppy young woman announced as soon as everyone was seated. Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand once, an excited gesture that Kurt returned before their guide continued speaking. "Please keep all personal belongings inside the vehicle and remember to hold on to small children." After a beat that consisted of consulting one of her coworkers, the same woman announced, "All right, everyone -- here we go."

With that, the vehicle lurched into motion, rolling along steadily as their guide introduced herself as Jaime. Kurt oofed as the vehicle jumped over a dip in the road, bumping along at a good clip for something listed as a "slow ride." "Is she actually qualified to drive this?" Kurt whispered as she rattled off information about some of the animals that they were likely to encounter, interrupting herself to answer a call from someone at a station whose name Kurt didn't catch. "I wasn't aware that we were supposed to be strapped in to keep from being launched out of the vehicle."

"It's a safari," Blaine reminded, wrapping an arm around Kurt's waist and squeezing it lightly. "It's supposed to be bumpy."

Thankfully, a grazing herd of gazelles sufficiently distracted Jaime long enough to bring the vehicle to a halt, allowing Kurt to snap a few pictures before they rumbled off. They crossed paths with giraffes, warthogs, and antelopes in a matter of minutes, Blaine's grip tightening around Kurt's waist to steady him whenever they zipped off before he could snag the last picture. Jaime's commentary about the animals was disrupted by another transmission from the same radio station as before, warning them that there were poachers sighted near the park.

"Poachers?" Kurt said, knowing that Disney had a flare for the dramatic but unable to keep his instinctive unease at bay as they paused to take in the majestic sight of three lions basking at the top of a hill, a mere hundred yards away from their path.

Thankfully, the rest of their ride seemed somewhat more agreeable as they spotted rhinos chowing down and hippos basking lazily in the water farther along. Even Blaine's grip had relaxed around his waist, the bumps expected now as they hurdled down the road after each strategic stop, at last loosening so that he was merely resting his hand against Kurt's hip.

It was nice, the breeze kicked up by the vehicle keeping the ride from becoming too hot and the animals obligingly close to the path (albeit, Kurt was glad that none chose to stand directly on the path). It wasn't until a third transmission came in that Jaime's spiel came to a complete halt, replaced by a more serious tone as she conversed with an alarmed man on the other end.

"All right, guys, looks like things are going to get a little bumpy," she said at last, and that was all the warning that they had before they tore down the path at a speed that Kurt hadn't thought possible. He clung to his camera with one hand and the railing with the other, Blaine's grip once more securing its hold as he shuffled a little closer to Kurt, still keeping a keen eye on the wildlife as trees and other foliage slipped past.

They came to a rickety bridge and with a lurch of trepidation Kurt realized that they were going to go over it mere seconds before the vehicle crawled onto the shuddering boards, moving with ominous rumbles that stopped and started as crocodiles lolled hungrily below.

"It's okay," Blaine said, startling Kurt from his brief, almost panicky reverie as he nudged his head against Kurt's shoulder lightly, squeezing his waist as they crossed back onto the bumpy dirt road. "It's all just Disney magic, remember?" He smiled, then oofed as he actually bounced in his seat on the next pothole. The disequilibrium was enough to startle a snort of laughter out of Kurt.

To his relief, they found the poachers' campsite in a matter of seconds, trawling in and passing by a baby elephant flapping its ears gratefully from the back of a truck.

"Disney magic," he repeated, grateful that no real elephants were involved in the planned heist as they finally trundled back into the off-loading site.

* * *

They stumbled across a Safari themed gift shop shortly thereafter, browsing in the air conditioning for a while as Kurt regained his footing post-ride.

He'd found a bench and was sitting on it flipping through his pictures when Blaine popped up over the back of his shoulder, almost startling the camera out of his hands as he sang, "I'm gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware."

He was wearing a Simba hat, nuzzling Kurt's neck ferociously as Kurt swatted at him, only mock-annoyed as he retorted, "I am not playing the part of Zazu, Blaine."

Unperturbed, Blaine rocked him in his seat as he continued to sing, loud enough that he could hear but largely for Kurt's ears only: "I'm gonna be the mane event, like no king was before! I'm brushing up on looking down, I'm working on my roar!"

"Thus far a rather uninspiring thing," Kurt drawled, reaching up to pinch his nose playfully.

Blaine scrunched it and danced out of reach, holding out his arms and singing, "Oh I just can't wait to be kiiiiing." Without missing a beat, he reached out for one of the plush Zazu dolls and held it up, gesturing extravagantly with its wing as he explained, "No one saying do this. No one saying be there. No one saying stop that. No one saying see here!"

Kurt rolled his eyes as Blaine planted the Zazu doll on his head, snatching it up and chucking it back at him as Blaine set the doll down and continued, "Free to run around all day; free to do it all my waaaay."

Without letting him slip out of reach, Kurt grabbed the edge of his shirt and reeled him back. "I think it's time that you and I arranged a heart-to-heart."

"Kings don't need advice from little hornbills for a start," Blaine replied loftily, bending to kiss Kurt's cheek before he looped his arms around Kurt's neck loosely, leaning his cheek against Kurt's.

"If this is where the monarchy is headed, count me out. Out of service, out of Africa -- I wouldn't hang about. Agh," he squawked, as Blaine stuffed the Simba hat on his head, doubtless irreparably ruffling his hair. "This child is getting wildly out of wing," he said, smacking Blaine's hip lightly when he moved away and reclaimed his hat, undeterred.

"Oh I just can't wait to be kiiiing."

Blaine held the note a moment before letting it go, circling around to stand in front of Kurt as he did so. "I am actually marrying the biggest dork," Kurt said in amazement as Blaine held out his arms expectantly, Simba hat askew but beaming smile unfazed.

"We're awesome," was all he said, and Kurt couldn't think of a single reason to contest it, and so he held up his camera to snap a picture of Blaine in his Simba hat instead.

Which meant that the actual result was a slightly blurry picture of the two of them, Blaine's Simba hat almost engulfing Kurt's hair as they beamed (Blaine beamed enough for both of them; Kurt yelped from the surprise of being pulled to his feet and dragged into the picture mid-shot) at the camera.

* * *

By the time they had wandered through a variety of other gift shops -- and even ventured through an area where tigers were on exhibit, Kurt snapping candids of Blaine posing with tigers in the background, mainly unknowingly -- it was going on one, and Kurt was ready for a brief snack before picking any of the bigger attractions off.

They found a neat little joint that had decent grilled hot dogs, good fries, and free refills. Once they were finished nibbling off each other's fries and poring over a map to see what they wanted to tackle next, they ventured out into the crowds as they swelled along a marked pathway. "Looks like we're just in time," Blaine commented, Kurt cocking his head curiously to one side at the sound of distant music before an overhead voice announced that it was time for their midday parade.

Weaving their way through the thickest patches of people, they found a tucked-away spot by one of the shop walls as floats ambled slowly up the street, Disney characters adorning every corner of the platforms. "Hey, look, it's Goofy!" Blaine exclaimed. And then: "Oh, look, Turk!" And so it went, with Blaine waving back at each of the characters as they passed until Kurt rolled his eyes fondly and hooked a hand around his waist, pulling him away.

"Come on, Borat. The lines are shorter when people are focused on the parades," he reminded.

Which seemed to give Blaine all the renewed focus that he needed to pull Kurt towards the far end of the park, dread thickening in his stomach when he realized where, exactly, their destination was.

"We're not actually riding that, are we?" he asked nervously, once it became overwhelmingly clear that their goal couldn't be anything but the towering behemoth known as Expedition Everest.

"Um, yeah?" Blaine said, looking back at Kurt as though he was crazy for thinking otherwise and giving his hand a light tug. "Come on, the wait time's only thirty minutes."

"We're not going on that." Kurt planted his feet, bringing Blaine to an abrupt halt in the middle of the trail.

Brows furrowing in confusion, Blaine asked, "But I thought you wanted to ride the big attractions?"

"I did," Kurt agreed. Then, seeing the point that Blaine was making, he clarified, "Just not the life-threatening ones."

"It's completely safe."

Kurt eyed the looming structure uneasily, looking back at Blaine when he laced their fingers together. "It's safe. I promise. And I'll hold your hand the whole time?" he offered.

Kurt glanced up at the artificial mountain, teetering on the edge of reason and compliance when Blaine added, "I'll buy you as many smoothies as you want afterward."

The temperature had risen to ninety-three degrees, an overwhelming sort of heat that made Kurt comply with a deep sigh, letting Blaine guide him to the end of the line.

As they walked through compact huts with Tibetan paraphernalia scattered around, Kurt couldn't help but cling to Blaine's hand a little more tightly, refusing to let it go. When he noticed the Yeti portraits scattered around, he all but plastered himself to Blaine's back, chanting smoothie, smoothie, smoothie to get his feet forward.

At last, sliding into the two-seater car of the train as it hissed loudly, radiating clouds of manufactured steam, Kurt gripped the safety bar so tightly his knuckles turned white, latching onto Blaine's hand as soon as it was in reach and breathing out slowly.

"You okay?" he asked, wrapping an arm briefly around Kurt's back to give him a one-armed hug, soft and encouraging.

"No," Kurt admitted, closing his eyes for a moment as the train lurched into motion with a loud rumble and another cloud of steam. "Remind me again why I agreed to this?" he asked as they bumped along, less dramatically than the Safari ride by far but at a much brisker clip.

"Because you love me?"

"Try again," Kurt said, eyes pinching shut as they rounded a bend at an even faster clip.

"It'll be fine," Blaine assured, squeezing his hand and saying, "Look, it's not even that high."

Kurt made the mistake of looking and promptly emitted a tiny sound that could only be described as a squeak as he said, "Oh my God, Blaine."

"It's not that high," Blaine insisted as the train continued to lurch up the hill, inclining upwards at a relatively shallow but still terrifying angle. "Besides, the ride time is only like, ninety seconds. It'll be fun!"

Kurt did his best not to freak out as they chugged towards the top, clinging to Blaine's hand and the safety bar as they passed underneath an overhang with a cartoon drawing of a Yeti depicted at the apex of the arch.

"Please tell me there aren't any Yetis on this ride," Kurt whimpered, feeling his heart pound as they reached the top of the hill -- oh God, oh God, here it comes -- and his knuckles go white again.

To his astonishment, they dipped into a gentle turn, his heart still racing as they rounded another bend and came to--

"Oh my God. Oh my God, what is that?"

The track was broken. Twisted crookedly high and clearly mangled beyond repair or use, it arched into the sky as Kurt stared in what could only be described as terror, the ominous music around him only intensifying it. In that moment, despite the fact that it was broad daylight and there was no way the Disney magic included such a thing, Kurt was absolutely convinced that they were about to be devoured by a rampaging Yeti.

Even Blaine seemed at a momentary loss for words, their backs pressed to the seats as they stared at the blue, blue sky and waited for their demise, when suddenly--

As if a cable had snapped, the train began to roll almost gently backwards, slipping down the trail and around another unseen bend as Kurt babbled, "Why are we going backwards what's going on oh my God Blaine what's -- AHHHHH."

Distantly, he was aware of Blaine braying a loud, "WHOO-HOOOOOO" as they plunged downhill into darkness, ripping down the tracks at sixty miles an hour as the howls of other terrified passengers filled the hollow mountain.

Kurt couldn't recall exactly what was said in those heart-stopping moments, but Oh my God oh my God oh my God followed by several dozen expletives featured prominently.

He shrieked when they slowed long enough to see a Yeti looming overhead, burying his head in Blaine's shoulder for a moment before they surged down another path, facing forward this time, and made the final death-defying plunge down the mountain.

They howled the entire way down, although Kurt noticed that Blaine was actually laughing as he whooped.

* * *

"I found you a friend."

Kurt turned carefully to watch Blaine as he emerged with a plump bag from the Expedition Everest gift shop. Kurt had spent the past ten minutes recovering from his trauma on one of the outdoor benches, breathing slow and deep and drinking down a strawberry smoothie (that, true to his word, Blaine had bought him). Despite Blaine's graciousness in the aftermath, Kurt still didn't entirely trust him anymore after their journey to the center of the Earth (or near enough to it; he was never riding a roller coaster again, ever).

Pulling out the squishiest, most marshmallow-y stuffed animal that Kurt had ever seen, Blaine announced, "It's a Yeti. Except, not a scary one, but like, a marshmallow version." Handing it to Kurt, he added, "It's your new friend."

Kurt blinked at the plush Yeti and then glanced back at Blaine, unable to form words for a long moment.

"You bought me a plush Yeti," he said at last, holding his smoothie in one hand and the Yeti in the other.

Blaine nodded, seeming pleased with himself as he added, "I thought we could call him Marshmallow."

Kurt groaned and leaned his forehead against Blaine's stomach, the closest thing he could reach as he said, "I'm never going on a roller coaster again."

"I know, honey," Blaine said, reaching up to rub the back of his neck lightly. "Did you still want to check out that Finding Nemo thing? I promise there's no hills or Yetis involved."

"Except this one," Kurt pointed out, holding up the Yeti and scrutinizing it.

Blaine's lips twitched in a smile as he agreed, "Except that one. Up to it?"

Kurt considered it for a long moment, tempted to say no and return to the hotel for some much-needed TLC, but they were only in Disney for a week and he refused to waste a single second.

"Let's do it."

* * *

They missed the Finding Nemo: The Musical show but caught Festival of the Lion King as they looped around the park, grateful to sit for a time as they leaned against each other and enjoyed the show. Too tired from all the walking to do more than linger in the area sipping smoothies (Blaine had opted for a mango one for himself and another strawberry one for Kurt), they eventually made their way to the front of the park to enjoy the birds for a little while more before boarding the afternoon bus and hitching a ride back to their hotel.

"God, I know it's only five, but I'm exhausted," Kurt groaned, setting camera and satchel aside before flopping back on their bed. "Thank God for air-conditioning," he added, rubbing his cheek against the cool sheets.

Blaine tossed Marshmallow onto Kurt's stomach, eliciting a soft grunt. "Want me to run a bath for us? Unless you still haven't forgiven me for traumatizing you with Expedition Everest earlier?"

Kurt hummed, pretending to consider the notion before waving a hand regally and saying, "Run the bath, good sir. And make sure it's on the cooler side. I am so hot."

"You really are," Blaine agreed.

Kurt chucked Marshmallow at his head, earning a laugh and a return throw as Blaine hummed and disappeared in the bathroom to start the water.

* * *

"You know, all things considered, I can't say this is a bad way to end the day," Blaine mused, clinking glasses with Kurt with a grin as they ate in one of the hotel's finer restaurants. "Even though we still have yet to see any fireworks."

"We still have four days," Kurt reminded, taking a long sip of his drink and closing his eyes in contentment. "Although, God, with food like this I might just stay here the whole time."

"Better than greasy park food?" Blaine asked, amused, as he dug into his own pasta.

"So, so much better," Kurt replied, tucking into his own meal.

And it was, not just because the food was amazing but because Blaine was amazing, too, and he gave really spectacular massages and just loved Kurt with every fiber of his being, radiating affection as they dined and twined their feet together under the table.

"I can't believe we didn't do this sooner," Kurt mused.


	3. Chapter 3

One word stood out in Kurt's mind on Wednesday morning.

EPCOT.

Blaine was already dressed in a green polo and a pair of white shorts, sitting out on the balcony pretending to read Kurt's earmarked copy of The Tale of Lands. It didn't escape Kurt's notice that Blaine's gaze kept straying longingly towards the distant trees over the lake with the promise of another Disney park to tackle. Despite the fact that it was only eight in the morning, Blaine had been up for two hours already, nudging Kurt awake around seven and waiting for him to finish getting ready, khaki shorts, purple shirt, and jaunty hat.

Kurt decided to take pity on him and forgo his morning exercise routine entirely in favor of hitting the park sooner. Blaine's demeanor visibly brightened when he slid open the glass door separating them and asked, in a sort of candidly lazy drawl, "You ready for this?"

Twenty minutes later -- after a brief breakfast of two muffins, three cups of coffee, and one orange -- they were boarding the Monorail, zipping past the resort in a matter of seconds and docking at the Magic Kingdom to dislodge those travelers. As soon as the doors shut they were off again to the Contemporary Resort, making another stop to pick up new travelers before shuttling off towards EPCOT.

"Kurt, look," Blaine said, all but pressed against the window as one hand clung tenuously to his pole, wide-eyed as he stared at the giant futuristic centerpiece of the aptly named City of Tomorrow.

Even as they made a slow overhead loop of the park around it, Kurt couldn't help but think of the massive geometrical statue as anything other than an immensely oversized golf ball. Its entire body hung suspended at the apex of four gleaming silver poles. The rock monoliths lined in rows in front of it were almost laughably small by comparison, but the entire view was breathtaking, making Kurt's own heart race in unanticipated glee as the Monorail pulled into the station at last.

Thankfully, the wall of heat wasn't nearly as intense as it had been the day before, a comparatively mild seventy-nine degrees and sunny. With enough sunscreen to cover the needs of a small army, Kurt refused to be lulled in complacency. He'd made it so far without any burns; he wasn't about to spoil their day at EPCOT by acquiring any.

They filed into the check-in lines and were past the gates by nine, Blaine all but vibrating with excitement at Kurt's side as they approached the stone monoliths. Names were etched into each of the increasingly large rocks, names of sponsors who had contributed in some way -- however negligent or considerable -- to EPCOT's millennial celebration.

Kurt took a moment to admire the towering stones as they walked, Blaine matching his pace with apparent difficulty. As soon as he spotted the entrance to the Giant Golf Ball, he said, "We have to go inside it."

Kurt paused, cocking his head curiously at the Golf Ball, now almost directly overhead. "Inside?"

Implausible as it seemed, they followed the path that led up into the base of the suspended ball, spilling them into another queue with a sign reading Spaceship Earth overhead.

"Huh," Blaine said, summarizing Kurt's own thoughts rather succinctly as he watched people shuffling into pod-like vehicles moving along a non-stop semi-circle track. It was impossible to see where they went to, empty vehicles emerging from one end and full ones disappearing at the other.

"Guess we're up," Blaine said, grabbing Kurt's hand to tug him onto the moving platform as they climbed into one of the pods, Kurt on the left and Blaine on the right. "This should be fun," he added, unflappably delighted at the prospect of whatever horrible thing that they'd agreed to as the door to their vehicle slid shut.

Kurt didn't answer aloud, just grabbing his hand and lacing their fingers together nervously, almost jumping in his seat when he heard a voice near his head explaining in a delicately cool mechanical tone: "Please remain seated for the duration of the ride. Do not attempt to throw or toss any items outside of the vehicle. Watch small children closely. Be prepared to stop. If the ride stops, do not attempt to get outside of your vehicle. On your descent back to Earth, this car will move backwards. For your own safety, please remain seated for the duration of your ride. Thank you."

"Backwards?" Kurt repeated, squeezing Blaine's hand tightly.

Blaine squeezed it back lightly before stroking over his knuckles, vibrant, almost space-like music filling Kurt's head set as a new voice took over the narration. "Welcome to Spaceship Earth," a calm, feminine voice declared. "Today we're going to take a journey through human history, to go back in time and revisit our ancient ancestors, across the ages to the beginning of modern civilizations, and into the future to explore what's next for humankind. Our journey begins here, almost thirty thousand years ago in the cold and unforgiving climate of the last Ice Ages, where our ancestors struggled to retain a foothold in a world dominated by megafauna: mammoths, saber cats, and countless other creatures set on extinguishing the human race."

Kurt couldn't help but be drawn by the narration as an arctic scene emerged around them, two cavemen wielding spears at a bellow mammoth, their advances and retreats almost timeless in nature. "Thankfully, our ancestors were well-equipped for survival," the narrator reported, Blaine's thumb stroking over Kurt's fingers rhythmically, captivated. "They could make tools, using them to make up for natural disadvantages. At this time, they also began to record their stories on cave walls, leaving them for future generations to find, recalling their bravery and tenacity."

As they glided past another display, this one of a group of cave-people engaged in conversation, a single heavily-adorned figure at the center clearly reciting a story, Kurt watched and listened raptly. Tens of thousands of years passed in seconds as they shuffled slowly upwards, crossing another display, this one depicting an ancient Egyptian scraping some form of medicinal herb between two stones. Despite knowing that he was animatronic and would not respond to passing cars full of curious tourists, the Egyptian seemed vaguely aware of his company, Kurt's gaze following him in his work as more music flowed from the area, Mid-eastern in nature.

"The Pharaohs were not only monarchs to the ancient Egyptians," the narrator proclaimed, drawing Kurt's eyes to the next exhibit as a brightly-adorned Pharaoh commanded two lesser palatial hands at attention. "Rather, they were messengers from the gods themselves, voices for their will. The achievements built under the Pharaoh's authority were monumental in nature, withstanding the passage of time for centuries to come. Their stories are written in the hieroglyphs that they created and the statues that they left behind."

They passed through Phoenician and ancient Greek exhibits in the same manner, exploring the Roman Empire briefly as well as the rise and fall of the European continent as a place for bountiful knowledge and art. Kurt's eyes burned with the continuously-burning coals as they passed through the Dark Ages, Blaine reaching up to rub at his own eyes until they moved on into a period of restoration and peace, culminating in the Renaissance.

Then they switched gears, putting more focus on the New World as the American culture arose, bringing with it its own unique set of past times and interests. Radios and telephones became quintessential items of the American home, while baseball rose to stardom as a pastime with television broadening its viewership. They watched, with the same acute thrill as the animatronic family glued to the television screen, as Apollo 11 landed on the moon, bringing a new age to light -- the Space Age.

Reaching toward the pinnacle of their now steep ascent, they entered a brightly lit room of various recording machines, records and other sound bites playing as they finally emerged into a vast dark space, stars lit above them.

Kurt gazed up in unrepentant wonder as the narrator illustrated an even brighter future, his hand almost entirely relaxed in Blaine's as they circled the room.

Once they began to descend, however, he tightened his grip around Blaine's, only relaxing infinitesimally when he realized that they weren't going to go any faster with cars directly in front of and behind them. By the time they reached the exiting platform, Kurt was more than happy to clamber out of the car and stand on solid ground once more, leaning into his hold as Blaine wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed the side of his head.

"You're adorable," he murmured, holding on a moment longer before releasing him with a smile. "So. What should we do next?"

* * *

Opting to skip the Innoventions buildings on either side of the walk, they headed straight for Test Track, Kurt operating under the somewhat naïve impression that it was a low-level thrill-seeking roller coaster.

Of course, Blaine didn't attempt to cure him of his happy fantasy. It wasn't until they were close enough to hear the cars flying past the track as breakneck speeds, an audible sshheeeeruuum accompanying each circuit that Kurt planted his feet and said, "No."

"We're not going on it," Blaine assured, Kurt's shoulders relaxing for a moment until Blaine clarified, "yet. I just wanted to pick up a couple of Fast Passes before they sold out."

"Blaine." Waiting until he had his fiance's attention, Kurt reiterated, very simply, "No."

"Kurt." Turning pouty, Blaine held on to both of Kurt's hands as he said, "I've actually read up on this one and it's supposed to be really fun. I promise it's not as scary as it looks." Swaying his hands a little and adopting a lilting tone, he added, "I'll buy you cheesecake later if you do."

"You can't bribe me with food all the time," Kurt pointed out, glancing up at the enclosed race track dubiously. "It's not that bad?"

"It's not that bad," Blaine promised. "And if it is, I won't wear any hair gel for two weeks."

Interest piqued, Kurt arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Mmhm."

Slowly, still hesitant, Kurt shuffled forward. "It better be an amazing cheesecake," he warned as Blaine gleefully tugged him towards the Fast Pass machines.

"It'll be the best," Blaine promised.

* * *

With almost an hour before the World Showcase's amusements even opened around eleven, they ambled around the park for a time, taking in the flowers and rides as the Monorail passed periodically overhead. Beginning to slowly bake in the heat, they took a much-needed intermission in the large conglomerate building known only as The Land, letting out twin sighs of relief as soon as they stepped into the air-conditioning.

They meandered downstairs and after a mere ten-minute wait time boarded a slow-moving boat ride referred to as Living with the Land. Feeling sentimental, Kurt rested his head on Blaine's shoulder as they angled around a bend into a large, greenhouse-like exhibit. A tour guide explained all the intricacies of the mini-biosphere that Disney had invested in as part of its overarching conservation program, pointing out comical mutations on some of the larger and more familiar plants while dedicating considerable attention to all the ways that the entire structure conserved, reused, and recycled energy.

By the time the boat rambled back into port ten minutes later, Kurt was loathe to depart, groaning when Blaine finally extricated himself from under him.

"We should do that again," Kurt said.

Blaine smiled indulgently before replying, "I have a better idea."

* * *

Ellen's Energy Adventure was a mere five-minute walk from their current destination, providing ample time for Kurt's doubt to fester until they came upon the strangely triangular building that housed the ride, a large triangular fountain angled in front of it.

"Please tell me this isn't a thrill ride in disguise," Kurt said, reluctantly letting Blaine guide him to the front of the building.

"I promise it's not a thrill ride."

They entered a large open theater, only a handful of benches scattered across the far wall as a timer near the entrance counted down the time until the next showing. Five large screens filled the uppermost portion of the opposite wall, blank for the moment as dim orange lighting kept full darkness at bay. "What are we waiting for, exactly?" Kurt asked, leaning his shoulder against Blaine's as they watched other people mill inside, filling in the space.

Blaine kissed his cheek instead of responding, the room darkening as they both looked up at the screens expectantly.

Moments later, none other than Ellen DeGeneres herself appeared. "Hi there. Welcome to the Universe of Energy. How are you?" Waiting expectantly, she said after a beat, "No need to answer. Bet you weren't expecting to see me here," she added, reappearing on a different screen a moment later. "Then again, I bet there's a lot of places you weren't expecting to see me."

She bantered for a good three minutes about energy and her lack of awareness about it, transitioning from a black backdrop to a cozy apartment, her mirror self conked out on the couch after a Jeopardy marathon. As she spoke, fog began to fill the screen, moving the sequence from her apartment to her snoozing self's "dream sequence." Pitted against Dr. Judy Peterson (an old high school rival, it seemed) and Albert Einstein himself, she was losing spectacularly on an energy-themed episode of Jeopardy. Just shy of $18,000 behind her old school rival, Ellen paused the dream sequence to wander off stage, bumping into Bill Nye the Science Guy as she entered the break room.

"Highly improbable as all of this is," Kurt murmured as Ellen and Bill discussed solutions to their energy predicament, Blaine leaning his head closer to hear him, "I'm surprised it's not already a sitcom. Einstein and Ellen on the same celebrity TV show? Count me in."

Bill invited Ellen into the past, the screen abruptly going black again as narrator Ellen reappeared to formally introduce the upcoming ride into her "dream," a spotlight shining down on a smiling Disney cast member who explained the rules about keeping hands, arms, legs, and feet inside the moving vehicle at all times and please keep an eye on small children.

Then doors opened underneath the screens as the lights brightened and Ellen disappeared, leaving them to shuffle inside a much larger facility that contained vehicles with long theater-like rows.

"This better not go backwards," Kurt warned, sliding into the seat next to Blaine as Blaine huffed a laugh.

Thankfully for Kurt, the ride didn't go backwards at all, carrying them through Bill and Ellen's energy adventure past animatronic dinosaurs and even later through time, at last visiting modern green energy methods to wrap up the show. "I'm sensing a theme," Kurt mused at last as they came to a halt in front of a large wraparound screen, still seated in their theater-like rows. Ellen was back on Jeopardy, beating out Judy Peterson and finally realizing the value of energy.

Pleased that not a single hair on his head had been stirred during the ride, Kurt exited with Blaine in a noticeably cheerier mood.

* * *

After that, they decided to branch out into the World Showcase, starting with Mexico.

Sporting a bright green polo with three thin, vertical white stripes on the left side and a pair of white shorts, Blaine looked almost comically out of place as he donned a sombrero and held up a pair of maracas, shaking them once and asking, "How do I look?"

Kurt snorted, unable to contain his amusement as he directed his attention at the rest of the shop, the backdrop stylized to look like a village on the precipice of an active volcano, bleeding streams of lava and sluggish tendrils of smoke. The diners at the tiny Mexican-themed restaurant occupying most of the floor seemed unalarmed by the depiction, cheerful conversation filling the air.

It was lunch time, and Kurt wasn't surprised to see that all but a handful of seats were full, the rest milling around the same gift shop that Blaine was. Setting aside the maracas and removing the sombrero as Blaine pouted at him, Kurt replaced them on the shelf and gave him a kiss before saying, "As cute as you are, I'm not sure the sombrero does it for you."

Then, thoughtfully, he added, "Isn't there supposed to be another boat ride in here?"

Almost on cue, Blaine dragged him off to the Gran Fiesta Tour, as it was festively named, a little side attraction almost built into the wall of the temple-like space with boats flowing in and out of a shallow channel regularly.

To his chagrin, the "Three Caballeros" were actually cartoon birds in search of Donald Duck, bringing to mind It's a Small World as they wended their way through the area crying out for his appearance.

By the time they clambered out of the boat, Kurt was more than happy to put some distance between himself and Mexico.

* * *

Let's get down to business, to defeat -- the Huns.

Did they send me daugh-ters? When I asked -- for sons?

You're the saddest bunch I've ever met

But you can bet before we're through

Mister I'll make a man out of youuuu.

After a brief detour through Norway -- and its Norwegian themed boat ride and subsequent gift shop, where Blaine promptly donned every horned piece of head ware he could find -- they reached China. Kurt had been gone exactly three seconds when Blaine launched into an enthusiastic version of I'll Make a Man out of You, reaching the second verse as Kurt emerged from the nearest restroom.

Tranquil as a forest

But on fiiiire, withiiiin

Once you find your cen-ter

You are sure -- to win!

"You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot," Kurt joined in, tugging him off the bench as Blaine beamed.

"And you haven't got a clue," he drawled.

Undaunted, Kurt sang, "Somehow I'll make a man out of youuu."

Their impromptu duet attracted only a handful of curious eyes, Kurt flushing with pride and amusement as he tweaked Blaine's nose and said, "Come on. I heard Mulan and Mushu were supposed to be nearby."

True to his word, Mulan was right around the corner, dressed in armor with Mushu at her side gesticulating extravagantly for them to come closer. "Were you the ones singing?" she asked as soon as they were close enough, Blaine laughing as Kurt rubbed the back of his neck guiltily, gratefully accepting a hug from Mushu to distract himself. "I'll have to tell Shane he's got a little competition," she continued, Blaine's entire expression brightening as he graciously accepted a hug.

As they switched so Blaine could hug Mushu and Kurt could introduce himself formally to Mulan without blushing too much, Kurt couldn't help but point out, "You know, you and Mushu are almost the same height."

Blaine and Mushu shared a single comically well-timed look before Mushu propped himself on his tiptoes and Kurt laughed.

That was the picture the photographer caught, of course; Kurt and Mulan standing close enough to be shoulder-to-shoulder as Mushu leaned up on tiptoe to tower over Blaine, Blaine's features scrunched in a laugh.

* * *

They didn't have much time to linger after that, their Fast Pass times for Test Track at one thirty. Chowing down a quick lunch at the Chinese restaurant (and Kurt ate more off Blaine's plate than his own if only because it was more fun to watch Blaine try to evade his chopsticks with his own), they bustled back into the futuristic part of EPCOT. Kurt didn't even process that they were about to ride the screaming metal deathtrap zipping above them until he heard the same tell-tale sshheeeeruuum from above as they hurried down the Fast Pass lane, heart pounding.

Before he could open his mouth to say more than "Blaine," and "Oh my God," he was strapped into the car as a different cast member explained the safety rules. All too soon, he pushed a button and the car jerked forward, rumbling around a corner before coming to a brief halt behind a group of other cars.

"Oh my God," he breathed. "We're actually doing this. This is a thing. That we're doing. We're doing this."

"Isn't it great?" Blaine asked, missing the point entirely as he wriggled in his seat. They were both strapped in -- strapped in -- and Kurt couldn't help but think that if ever there was a thing he regretted doing more, then he couldn't recall it.

And then they had the green light and were off, passing into a darkened studio as they bumped and lurched and screeched their way along a road-test course. They dodged cones, zipping around corners and plowing through fake walls, even entering "climate zones" to bake and cool, alternatively. They picked up speed with each jerky lurch, Kurt clinging to the lap bar for dear life as the mechanical overlay announced the next test, a start-stop test that made him shriek as they came to a blistering halt after a forty-mile-per-hour sprint.

Then there were more obstacles, their car gaining speed in fits and starts as Blaine chanted, "This is awesome, this is awesome, oh my God, Kurt."

Finally, the same speaker that had guided them via head set through the rest of the course announced, "Now we're going to test things out on a real course, see what it can do. Are you ready for this?"

No, nope, I have literally never been less ready for anything in my life--

There was a stoplight overhead, holding red for several long, mind-numbingly slow seconds before it flashed green and away they went.

They tore down the path with a loud nyeeeeeeeoom, Kurt clinging to his lap bar so tightly that he forgot to scream, pressed back against his seat as Blaine whooped loudly with delight.

As they rounded another bend Kurt managed a pitiful squeak, hardly able to believe that he was still alive and not daring to take his eyes off the track as they finally, aggressively came to a halt.

"Thanks for riding with us today," the same voice from before announced as they wheeled off towards the unloading platform. "We hope you enjoyed and come drive with us again soon!"

Kurt staggered out of the vehicle and all but collapsed to the floor, feeling like a man brought back from the brink as Blaine sidled up beside him and reached out to take his hand. "Oh my God, Kurt! Your hands are freezing," Blaine said, cupping them between both of his as Kurt huddled close to his shoulder and shuddered once.

* * *

By the time Kurt had partially recovered from the trauma of riding Test Track, they had idled through Canada and the United Kingdom, stopped at France to pick up desserts before continuing past Morocco and Japan to reach the American-themed portion of the World Showcase, dipping in for its American Adventure. As the lights dimmed and the show began, Blaine rested his head on Kurt's shoulder, quiet but apologetic.

Kurt wasn't mad at him -- if nothing else, he couldn't be after the delicious cheesecake he'd bought him at the French pavilion -- but it was still nice to bask in the comfort for a time. The opening act with live performers had been a refreshing contrast to high-tech animatronics, the remainder of the show in the theater itself hardly a disappointment. It was nice to a break from the increasingly humid heat outside to just enjoy each other's company, unhindered by outward obligations.

They ambled outside and toured Italy and Germany briefly before doubling back just in time to see Belle and the Beast making an appearance at a slightly tucked-away grotto area.

"Why, hello there!" Belle greeted as soon as they got to the front of the line.

"Beauty and the Beast was like, the epitome of my childhood. Or maybe The Little Mermaid. But either way I adore your story, oh my God," Kurt gushed, unable to keep his squeak internal as he hugged Belle. "It's just such a pleasure to meet you! I'm sorry."

"Kurt, look," Blaine said, holding up the Beast's hand and it was, quite literally, bigger than his face. "He's so cool."

The Beast flicked his cape regally with his free paw, drawing Blaine into a hug as Belle did the same with Kurt, striking a little curtsy as they smiled at the photographer. "You must have come a very long way to see us if you're as pale as I am," Belle remarked lightly once they were done, Kurt blushing slightly.

"We're from New York," Blaine supplied.

"Really? I've read the most wonderful stories about it. We're hoping to visit sometime soon," she added, directing her attention at the Beast, who nodded vigorously.

"That would be amazing," Kurt said, feeling numb and a little awed. "Really. Amazing."

"We'll send you a letter as soon as we settle on a date," Belle promised, waving a little as the Beast waved more vigorously in their direction. "Have a wonderful day!"

Near death experiences and all, Kurt couldn't say that his day was anything but.

* * *

As they crossed the World Showcase back into the futuristic portion of EPCOT, they came across a series of leaping fountains just outside the Imagination center, two glass pyramids with Figment-themed attractions within. Focusing more on the fountains themselves, Kurt sat nursing a drink on one of the benches as Blaine raced from circle to circle, trying to perfect his timing so that he was underneath the spray just as it arched overhead.

It didn't touch him even so, of course, but it was amusing to watch, Blaine's enthusiasm infectious as Kurt finished his drink and sauntered over to his current spot, waiting for the water to leap overhead again.

Just as it did so, he thrust a hand upwards and caught the spray, drenching Blaine's hair as he laughed and ducked away.

Even knowing that it was his just reward, he still shrieked when Blaine managed to nail him with water, chasing after him until both of them were soaked to the skin.

It was, he had to admit, a wonderful, agreeable way to spend an afternoon in Disney.

* * *

Soarin' had a ninety minute wait time by the time they reached The Land for the second time that day. It was approaching sunset outside and Kurt knew that they only had a handful of hours for attractions and food before the fireworks' show, but he refused to miss out on one of EPCOT's most acclaimed attractions just because it had a slightly longer wait time than they were used to.

They passed the time listening to the Frozen track on his phone. Kurt pieced through French translations of the songs the second time through, mostly to amuse himself but also to see the sort of surprised delight in Blaine's eyes as he leaned back against the railing across from him.

It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small

And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all!

It's time to see, what I can do, to test the limits and break through

No right, no wrong, no rules for me --“ I'm free!

The chorus was just as triumphant in French as it was in English, and Kurt couldn't help but sing it out as the song finally came to a close, a smattering of applause making his ears go red as Blaine leaned forward to kiss his cheek, once.

"I love you so much."

With Frozen to distract them and pretty, muted paintings on the wall, they reached the loading station for Soarin' in good time, shuffling into the seats as Kurt fastened himself in with only a deep breath and a single repetition of, "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Positive," Blaine promised.

Eventually, the many-seater hang-glider-like contraption lifted into the heart of the IMAX theatre, hovering for a moment in silence before they were off, a breeze kicked up as they flew over hills and fields and waterfalls, all breathtaking expanses with scented scenery to boot. Kurt could smell the pines and the oranges, the rapids washing over the rock faces. He felt the glider tilt ever so slightly to accommodate each dip and curve in their flight, feeling a breathless sort of joy swelling inside of him as they soared.

When it was over, he couldn't stop smiling, reaching up to rub his hands over his face for a moment as he declared, "Wow."

"I know," Blaine agreed, looking just as dazed and pleased as Kurt felt when Kurt looked up, and they walked hand-in-hand out of The Land as darkness settled into the air beyond.

* * *

It was only half an hour until IllumiNations started, and Kurt could barely contain his excitement. They'd already split two decaf coffees and a giant cookie to quench the worst of their hunger before finding a nice piece of railing to cling to, Kurt pressed against the bar as Blaine hooked his chin over his shoulder, sharing body heat in the cooling night air.

With night crowds milling in the background behind them, the entire scene felt oddly intimate, just them and the stars and the lake itself, the entire World Showcase alight in preparation for the show.

And then suddenly, unexpectedly: "I can show you the world."

Kurt rolled his eyes as Blaine hugged him tighter, singing, "Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me, Prince Kurt, now when did you last let your heart decide?"

"You are literally the biggest dork I've ever met," Kurt said, laughing when Blaine started rocking them slowly, still singing.

"I can open your eyes. Take you wonder by wondeeeer. Over, sideways, and under on a magic carpet ride. A whole new wooooorld."

"You are not dragging me into this right now," Kurt insisted, unable to keep the smile entirely off his face as Blaine kept singing, oblivious.

"A new fantastic point of view. No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming."

With a put-upon sigh, Kurt sang back, "A whole new woooorld. A dazzling place I never knew." With Blaine still rocking them, it was easy to fall into a rhythm, Kurt's heart pouring out as he declared, "But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear, that now I'm in a whole new world with you--"

"Now I'm in a whole new world," Blaine sang, nuzzling his shoulder as Kurt picked up the verse, closing his eyes to better appreciate the sensations.

"Unbelievable sights. Indescribable feelings. Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, through an endless diamond sky -- a whole new wooooorld."

"Don't you dare close your eyes," Blaine teased, nuzzling his shoulder.

"A hundred thousand things to see," Kurt mused, turning in his arms so his back was to the railing and Blaine's arms were wrapped even more comfortably around his waist.

"Hold your breath, it gets better," he said softly, leaning forward to capture a kiss that lingered, Kurt's hands sliding up to cradle the back of his neck.

"A thrilling chase," he sang, a little more huskily than before as they broke apart.

"A wondrous place," Blaine rejoined, not missing a beat as he rested his forehead against Kurt's.

Together, they sang, "For you and me."

Needless to say, after that, the fireworks were only icing on the cake, Kurt's arms wrapped around Blaine so he could warm up as IllumiNations came to life around them.


	4. Chapter 4

They slept in on Thursday.

It was an entirely voluntary decision on Kurt's part and only slightly less so on Blaine's. At the first stirring of life from Blaine's half of the bed, Kurt had tightened his grip around Blaine's middle, refusing to let go until Blaine had sighed and shuffled back down the bed to cuddle with him again. Kurt didn't know what time it was, but he wasn't about to surrender sleep just yet. One of Blaine's hands reached up to scratch the back of Kurt's neck lightly and Kurt hummed, drifting off again with his face buried against Blaine's shoulder.

When he awoke a second time, Blaine was already awake, shuffling out of his grip carefully until Kurt latched onto him again. "Kurt," he whined, squirming a little pointedly until Kurt released him with a sigh. He returned a minute later and shuffled back into Kurt's arms, deflating with a deep sigh as Kurt rested his chin on top of his head.

They lingered like that for a time until Kurt was awake enough to shuffle out of bed, rolling his eyes when he returned from their bathroom to find Blaine already folding the sheets neatly. "You do realize that the maids take care of all that, right?" he asked, voice husky with sleep as he pushed a hand through his hair.

"I know," Blaine replied, setting Marshmallow at the apex of the pillows and smiling.

Huffing in amusement, Kurt glanced at the time -- nine thirty -- and said, "Do you want the first shower? I can make some coffee."

"Coffee would be great," Blaine agreed, hopping off the bed and ambling off into the bathroom.

Kurt combed his hair into a slightly more manageable coif before getting the coffee started, picking through his clothes until he had two piles on the bed: clothes that needed to be washed and clothes that were still clean. By the time Blaine emerged from the bathroom, freshly-washed and sporting nothing but a towel, Kurt had picked through all their clean clothes to find them a pair of pseudo-matching yellow and orange outfits. With black shorts for Kurt and yellow ones for Blaine, Kurt had picked out a burnt orange button-down for himself while Blaine's polo was white with a little yellow feather in the upper corner.

Loathe though he was to abandon fresh coffee, the appeal of a shower was strong enough to lure him away -- at least temporarily, joining Blaine on the balcony ten minutes later with his own cup of coffee.

"I'm so glad that we chose this resort to stay at," Blaine said, sighing happily as he took in the panoramic expanse in front of them, lakes and palm trees spread out invitingly.

"Mmhm," Kurt agreed, leaning a hand against the railing and letting his gaze sweep across the vista, glancing downward when he heard twigs snapping lightly. A family of turkeys was plucking their way across one of the hotel's grassy lawns, Kurt's gaze immediately affixed to them as Blaine leaned over to have a look at them. "I had no idea they even lived in the area," Kurt mused as they disappeared around a bed, five altogether.

The sighting was suitably charming and unexpected to fit the theme of the rest of their day. Lingering for a time before the heat drove them back inside their room, they made their way downstairs for a late breakfast. They ate pancakes, muffins, hash browns, platefuls of eggs and toast, and every other delightful confectionary that they could find, engorging themselves so much that an hour long respite at a shaded table on the lawn was required before they even considered hobbling up to the Monorail.

Eventually, they worked up the willpower to climb the stairs and board the Monorail for the Transportation Center, moods lifting as they pulled out of the station.

With two intervening stops and a switch from Monorail to bus, they were finally on their way to Hollywood Studios, Kurt wearing his camera around his neck while Blaine carried his satchel for him.

"Here we are," Kurt said, linking his hand with Blaine's companionably as the heat index continued to climb almost visibly around him. "Hollywood Studios."

* * *

At its core, Hollywood Studios was a sprawling complex of boulevards, each street lined with different shops and attractions. The Magic Mickey Hat stood directly ahead, picturesque against the clear blue sky and already lightly populated by mingling visitors. It towered above the surrounding buildings, the pinnacle of the park, and just behind its hood and underneath Hollywood's famous Chinese Theatre, the Great Movie Ride struck up a permanent residence.

"We have to do it," Blaine said at once.

Wary though he was about trusting Blaine's gut instinct on what rides would be fun, Kurt still felt cautiously optimistic about it as they made their way beneath the high, overarching entrance into a long, winding pathway. "This is beautiful," Blaine said, twice, before they even reached the front of the line, indicating a fountain or another marvel that he'd stumbled across along the way inside the recreation of the Chinese Theatre, Kurt following at his heels.

They reached a dimly lit movie theater and followed the queue around and around as snippets from old black-and-white films showed on the big screen. Like a kid in a candy store, Blaine zipped halfway down the path while Kurt lingered to take in the scene for a moment before hurrying after him.

They waited outside a pair of closed doors for a time, Kurt leaning back against the railing as Blaine wiggled excitedly in front of him, fiddling with Kurt's satchel and clinging to Kurt's hand alternately. At last, just when Kurt was starting to wonder if the lobby and black-and-white films were the entirety of the show, a set of doors opened, admitting the small crowd in front of and including them into a larger space.

Emerging onto an old-fashioned Hollywood soundstage, they followed the line into one of two cars' long rows, Kurt scooting onto the space beside Blaine. While they waited for the ride to start, Kurt rested his head on Blaine's shoulder, relieved that the space was air-conditioned. Rearranging his own satchel on Blaine's hip so that it wasn't digging into his side, Kurt took in the cheerful thrum of pre-show music as the remainder of the theatre's inhabitants poured into the cars. Sitting three rows back from the front, they had ample room to see the entire soundstage, including a replica of Hollywood Hills and the famous Hollywoodland sign that had once graced its top.

"Welcome aboard," a cheerful voice greeted, accompanied by a young woman who manned the front of the vehicle, looking out at everyone and smiling. "At this time I would like to remind everyone to please remain seated and, for the safety of our cast, to refrain from any flash photography or exterior camera lighting during the show. I would also ask that you keep all hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times." With a glance back at the crew back on the soundstage, she looked back at them and added, "And now that we've got that covered, my name is Candice and I'll be your guide for today. We're off to the magical world of movies, so hang onto your hats and away we go! Ready when you are, Stevie!"

"Excellent!" a mechanical voice chimed, and with a tiny lurch the cars moved forward, advancing towards the neon pink marquee ahead as Hooray for Hollywood played overhead.

Lifting his head from Blaine's shoulder as they advanced towards the marquee, openings in the doors appearing underneath, Kurt caught the last part of Candice's spiel as she explained, "...This is no ordinary tour; on the Great Movie Ride, these movies come alive. We'll be visiting some of the old movie sets on our journey today, which will put you right in the middle of the action."

As they dipped underneath the marquee and into a short but vibrantly lit tunnel, Candice went on cheerfully, "I don't know about you, but I've always had a special fondness for the Hollywood musicals of the 1930s. This upcoming scene is one of my favorites! We're venturing onto the set of Busby Berkeley's classic, Footlight Parade!"

Kurt almost missed the title of the first movie as Blaine squeezed his arm in unabashed delight, wiggling a little higher in his seat as they advanced farther down the tunnel and slowly onto a dark movie set. "Featuring some of Hollywood's greatest, Footlight's star cast included James Cagney, Ruby Hubert, and Dick Howell!"

As they both looked up to take in the twilit scenery, Kurt noticed the pyramid of swaying figures on their right hand side, nudging Blaine's shoulder to get his attention. It was enchanting, watching the scene unfold directly before their eyes, even if they both knew that none of the people on the wall were real.

As they rounded a corner amid buoyant Hollywood show tunes, Candice continued, "Up next on our adventure is the 1952 classic Singing in the Rain. Featuring Gene Kelly with Debby Reynolds and Donna O'Conner, this film remains one of the most beloved of all time." Conspiratorially, Candice noted to her captivated audience, "Did you know that it was actually co-directed by Gene Kelly?"

Secretly pleased that he had known Kelly's involvement in Singing in the Rain's production, Kurt turned to the left to watch as an animated version of Gene Kelly hung from a streetlamp, caught mid-song as rain fell around him.

"I'm siiinging in the rain, just siiiinging in the rain," Kelly crooned, dangling from his perch with a sort of whimsical nonchalance. "What a glooorious feeling, I'm haaappy again."

Kurt's head seemed to deposit itself of its own accord on Blaine's shoulder as he listened to the rest of the recreated croon, wondering how they could have missed the opportunity to revive this version of Kelly during Mr. Schuester's Singing in the Rain revival.

He could happily have sat through an hour of Kelly's crooning before Candice announced that they were arriving at the 1964 Mary Poppins' set, joining an animatronic Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke for an enchanting recreation of Chim Chim Cheree.

Just when Kurt was convinced that the Great Movie Ride was nothing more than a pleasantly adult version of It's a Small World featuring different exhibits on some of the more timeless movies, they passed underneath the bridge from the Mary Poppins' set into a much darker scene. Kurt could almost feel the cold settle over his skin as he looked out at the decrepit neighborhood, crumbling brick buildings and abandoned store fronts boding ill for their adventure. Even Candice seemed uneasy as she explained, "Hold onto those hats and purses -- it looks like we're in a bit of a rough neighborhood."

A hotel sign with only OTL lit and the H flickering begged to differ with the gentle assessment. Kurt wrapped an arm around Blaine's waist and pressed his cheek against his shoulder, craving closeness. Blaine obliged him by squeezing the arm that he had wrapped around Kurt's back, nuzzling the top of his head briefly as Candice went on to announce, "We're looking into the homeland of one of my favorite tough guys, played by James Cagney. Cagney's known for being one of the world's greatest cinematic gangsters--" A large poster on the wall concurred, declaring his character, Tom Powers, The Public Enemy. On Kurt's right an animatronic Cagney was engaged in a clearly heated conversation with someone off-screen, playing the part well as Kurt tightened his grip around Blaine's middle.

Happy to be around that particular bend in their journey, Kurt froze when they pulled up in front of a large shed to find a glowing red bulb at the top of the doors. "Sorry, folks, but I don't want to run a red light -- even if it is just on a movie set," Candice elaborated.

Blaine traced his fingers up and down Kurt's arm idly as they waited, a door sliding open above as a short man emerged, scowling fiercely.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, swanky Chicago accent matching his pinstriped suit.

"We're just passing through -- can't run a red light," Candice explained.

Looking over their packed vehicle once -- and Kurt wished that he could sink into the floor as the man's gaze strayed over their spot -- the man ordered, "Get out of the car."

"Can't really do that," Candice said, laughing apologetically. "Have to stay in the vehicle at all times. Sorry, sir."

Holding up a revolver, the man repeated, "Out of the car."

"All yours, Chief!" Candice declared, climbing down from the driver's section carefully and negotiating for a moment with their hijacker before fleeing off-set.

"Hey," Blaine whispered, rubbing Kurt's side a little and kissing the top of his head. "It's just like a movie. Disney magic."

Shuffling closer, not sure how to trust his senses when all of them were warning him to both protect and flee, Kurt managed to relax a little more once their hijacker got caught up in a gunfight with an old car's occupants across the set, shooting round after round from the stairs before finally mounting Candice's podium, fake shots still pinging on either side. "All right, everybody -- time to scram. Wanna see a magic trick?" Levering the pistol at the top of the bridge where the red light still glowed, the man fired once and declared, "See? No more red light."

They crawled forward amid the firefight, cheerful background music rising once more as their vehicle trundled ahead. Sparing a glance off to the left to see if Candice had somehow miraculously reappeared, Kurt replaced his cheek against Blaine's shoulder as they rolled forward, intrigued in spite of himself.

"Tell the warden Mugsy sends his regards," their hijacker -- Mugsy -- called back as they passed underneath the tunnel. "Oh, hey, look at this place," he added, glancing around as they emerged onto another movie set. "What a dump."

"And now, the old West!" a cheerful, mechanical voice announced. "And two of Hollywood's legendary stars: Clint Eastwood and John Wayne!"

Clint Eastwood's lookalike was hanging out at a bright, airy saloon while John Wayne's fill-in sat astride a brown horse, advising them to turn back before they entered any "mighty rough territory."

To Kurt's surprise, Blaine didn't seem at all alarmed by the turn of events, stroking a thumb in calming circles against Kurt's hip as their hijacker made notes on the scenery and apparel of the figures that they were passing. As they passed underneath a mock shoot-out between a snake-like animatronic and a white-haired sheriff, Kurt actually snorted at the unlikelihood of the encounter, relaxing enough to actually listen to Mugsy's jaunty commentary as he lead them down another lane.

"What's this?" Mugsy demanded, Kurt wondering the same as they pulled into a dark, star-dappled room.

"You are aboard the Nostromo, and something has gone terribly wrong," an ominous-sounding narrator intoned.

Nostromo?

Even Blaine's fingers seemed to tense for a moment before they continued stroking soothingly, Kurt's entire frame hunching inward at each monotonous declaration.

"One by one, the crew has vanished. And somewhere in the ship, a terrifying creature waits to claim its next victim."

And then, alarmingly loud, the same narrator ordered: "WARNING. REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE. THE AREA YOU ARE ENTERING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. PROCEED WITH CAUTION."

To their immediate left, an animatronic wielding a flamethrower stood crouched in the shadows, ready to confront the creature as red lights flashed and steam hissed around them.

"Let's get out of this place," Mugsy said, sounding the most nervous that he had the entire trip as the vehicle glided forward at a slightly brisker clip.

A warning alarm continued to toll loudly as a different mechanical voice counted down for 'imminent self-destruct,' Kurt huddled against Blaine's side and shaking like a leaf as a strange, disarmingly insect-like creature loomed from the shadows, sniffing in their direction before reappearing in the ceiling above.

Needless to say, Kurt had never been happier to see the back of the Nostromo as they emerged into an ancient Egyptian tomb, an overhead narrator announcing that it was the setting of Indiana's Jones' quest. To their right, Jones and a companion struggled to lever the Ark of the Lost Covenant into place, Jones' theme song coming to life as they were passing into yet another chamber.

They came to a halt once more in front of a towering statue of Anubis, a kneeling priestess murmuring praises to him as she prayed beneath a brilliant pink jewel. The narrator, omnipresent, announced that the jewel "was guarded with a curse, and whoever touched the jewel would be doomed to die." Still shaken by their close encounter with the Alien from Alien, Kurt didn't trust the supposedly cursed jewel at all, tempted to row-hop to the front and hijack their car himself to get out of the area as soon as possible.

Before he could do so, Mugsy crept up along the wall towards the top of the temple, reaching for the jewel. Just before he could touch it, the kneeling figure declared, "Halt! Whoever touches the jewel will be doomed to--"

Mugsy, laughing, pulled out his revolver, aiming it at the priestess as he reached up for the jewel. In a wave of smoke, he disappeared, becoming nothing more than a skeleton against the wall as Candice, triumphant, flung out both arms.

"Well then!" she said, hopping back into place amid a smattering of applause. "That just comes to show you that anything can happen in the movies."

They zipped through the final exhibits. They passed ancient Egyptians in their tombs in a mummy-themed area that Candice cheerfully noted were part of the horror genre. Kurt flinched until they made it to the Tarzan exhibit without incident. An animated Jane sat astride an elephant as Tarzan flew through the trees, bellowing all the while. Casablanca was next, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman stood before a waiting plane as Bogart explained his reasoning for departure. Then there was Mickey Mouse himself projected on the walls conducting magic in his sorcerous classic, Fantasia.

"I feel like we're not in Kansas anymore," Candice joked as they pulled into the Wizard of Oz exhibit, following the Yellow Brick Road to reach their final destination before the unloading dock.

* * *

"That was--"

"Amazing," Blaine said firmly, swinging their intertwined hands between them. "The hijacking? Completely unexpected. And the movie sets were fantastic."

"I'm never going to be able to sleep tonight," Kurt groaned. "I'm going to wake up in a cold sweat thinking I'm still on the Nostromo."

"No, you won't," Blaine said, leaning up a little to kiss his temple. "Because we are going to have a fabulous day. We're going to ride lots of awesome rides and see tons of amazing shows and I am going to buy us Mickey Mouse ice cream, and then we'll stay up and watch the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom tonight."

"We just saw fireworks last night," Kurt pointed out, the sunshine and bright blue sky already lightening his mood considerably.

"We did," Blaine agreed with a grin. "Don't you just love being on vacation?"

And Kurt, for his part, couldn't help but agree.


	5. Chapter 5

At Kurt's insistence, Blaine auditioned for the American Idol Experience.

They had already spent half an hour ambling around Hollywood Studios after the Great Movie Ride, locating a concessions stand that sold Mickey Mouse ice cream shortly after and eating their ice cream bars underneath the Magic Mickey Hat. Kurt had bitten off both ears in two bites, eventually wearing it down to nothing more than a stick as he waited for Blaine to do the same. Watching hundreds of tourists pass by was surprisingly calming knowing that they could plan the whole day according to their own schedule. There were no shifts and meetings to accommodate, no forced itineraries booked or mandatory events listed. As far as Kurt was concerned, they had all the time in the world. He was ready to savor every second.

Which was why he pushed Blaine to audition for the show once they passed the building and Blaine glanced thoughtfully at the sign, knowing that Blaine wouldn't want to hold him back by pursuing something he liked. Kurt had always been more comfortable in planned settings, with roles and lines and setups dealt out beforehand, but Blaine liked the spontaneity of bars and other public settings. By virtue if not by actuality, Kurt was a Broadway baby. He craved the stage life, and he wanted to be heard, but he'd never felt inclined to put himself on display in front of strangers, not with the unabashed sort of pleasure with which Blaine did it.

So he found a nice bench under the shade of a palm tree and people-watched for another half hour, texting his dad updates as he waited. At last, just when Kurt was beginning to wonder if he would be able to reclaim Blaine in time to enjoy the rest of the park, Blaine re-emerged from behind a different set of doors, smiling brightly and flushed with excitement.

"They want me to perform at one of the afternoon shows," he said, sounding somewhat flustered but mostly elated as he presented Kurt with an approval form that included a request to appear backstage thirty minutes before the show at six o'clock.

Excited on his behalf, Kurt gripped his hands and replied, "Blaine, that's amazing!" He could almost see the way that Blaine lit up with the praise, shrugging it off bashfully after a belated moment.

"What songs did you sing?" he asked, letting go of his hands and walking alongside him as they sauntered along towards the northern end of the park.

Blaine's ears reddened, but his smile remained as he admitted, "They had a selection of Disney songs so I went with When You Wish upon a Star from Pinocchio and Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid."

"Oh," Kurt cooed, unable to help himself, "I love The Little Mermaid. I still do, actually."

"I'm pretty sure they have a meet-and-greet with Ariel at the Magic Kingdom," Blaine remarked thoughtfully, glancing up at a sign as they neared the Indiana Jones' Epic Stunt Spectacular. "We should go," he said at once, Kurt making a thin noise of agreement as he filed into the queue behind him, finding seats midway down the expansive open theatre. The show didn't start for another twenty minutes, but Blaine didn't seem to mind at all, cheerfully filling Kurt in on the entire American Idol Experience audition process as they waited.

As it happened Blaine was one of the later entries to the system. He had managed to snag a spot after performing acapella first to a Hollywood Studios casting director and then at a second audition with accompaniment to a small audience. They'd given him feedback before offering him an evening slot with two other performers that had made it through. Delighted, Blaine had accepted, rounding off his application and getting his name in the register for the six o'clock show.

"I hope that's okay," Blaine added, prompting Kurt to roll his eyes and lean over to plant a firm kiss on his cheek.

"Honey. It's fine. I wouldn't have urged you to audition if I couldn't handle the consequences, and I'm happy for you. Besides, we're in Disney; we're on vacation. We're allowed to spoil ourselves and do what we want."

Pleased, Blaine nuzzled Kurt's shoulder for a brief, barely-there moment before saying simply, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Kurt replied, squeezing Blaine's hand as a woman appeared in the pit below, dressed from head-to-toe in khaki-colored safari gear.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she said, pacing the floor and commanding everyone's attention as she added, "are you all excited for our Epic Stunt Show?" There was a round of applause and a smattering of cheers; the theatre was already abuzz, it seemed, as hundreds of guests sat ready for the show. "Excellent. My name is Amber and I'm one of our casting directors here at Walt Disney World," the same woman -- Amber -- continued. "Today we're here to show you how we create the action on a big set -- specifically, a film set. A lot of that process involves extras, who are important members of the cast because they help to bring a scene to life. Without extras, many of the more daring stunts performed on movie sets would not be possible."

Then, directing her attention solely at the audience, she added, "Today we're going to need some very special extras -- adults at least eighteen years of age -- to help out with our show today. And since we're filming some action sequences, I'm looking for screamers!"

Letting the last syllable ring as the theatre erupted in even more excited cheers, Amber began singling out members of the audience for the show, going through the process twice to gather two rosters. Curiosity piqued, Kurt watched as Amber took center stage once more, her volunteers shuffled off to the side to await further instruction.

"They'll need all the help that they can get because here at Indiana Jones, anything goes," Amber confided, gaining steam as she addressed the audience again directly, urging them to cheer for Indiana Jones himself to make his appearance. At last, she declared, "Lights, camera, action!" as the theatre darkened and the front platform remained, once more, unattended.

Eerie theme music began to play as the lights brightened on stage, dappling the floor as they waited for Jones to arrive. Just when Kurt was about to ask Blaine whether they had picked the right show, after all, Indiana Jones fell from the ceiling, dangling from a rope and shaking off boulder dust.

Detaching himself, he slid to the floor and lit a torch, Kurt leaning forward expectantly as Jones stared ahead, back to them. He ventured deeper into the unseen cavern, padding gingerly across the stage until a spear erupted from the floor less than a foot from his head, making Kurt jump in surprise. As Jones staggered away, more spears appeared, forcing him to dance around them to avoid impalement as the music picked up accordingly.

In a mad dash for safety, he darted across the floor, spears appearing after every footfall until he leapt onto the massive rock backdrop and rolled to a standing position, lit torch still held aloft. Walking along the wall next to a handful of huge gnarly tree roots, he paused to examine the floor, falling into a red, smoky cavern as it opened beneath him. For three long, tense seconds, there was no sign of Jones, Kurt wondering if perhaps he had met his doom in the belly of a volcano when, dangling from a handful of roots, Jones reeled himself back to the surface, gasping all the while.

And so the show continued, with Jones dodging various probable and improbable demises as he scaled the wall, lunging to and fro. When a boulder rolled down the path, hell-bent on crushing Jones, Kurt was amazed to see him appear seconds later utterly unscathed twelve feet in front of his previous position, accepting applause from an approving audience as more cast members filed on stage, the lights returning to full.

An extra rolled the massive boulder back up the pathway as other extras -- including another casting director -- explained the mechanics of the process, using comically cloaked characters to demonstrate different unified commands on set, such as "duck!" and "lean left!" Kurt laughed as several extras deliberately bungled the attempts, correcting themselves after a moment's thought.

They performed together on a different set, moving about like monkeys on a jungle gym as they swung over rooftops and glided around alley corners. Kurt was amazed at the pyrotechnical skill required to lit large portions of the stage on fire with dozens of actors present without injuring any of them.

After sufficiently showing off their mastery of evading death, they switched gears to mock fighting. The partners were often so outlandishly outmatched that Kurt laughed even before the first fake punch had been swung, the mock battles themselves even more entertaining. When one of the actors flipped head-over-heels after a kick, Kurt stopped trying to hold back his laughter and giggled helplessly into Blaine's shoulder instead.

Recovering enough to witness the final outdoor sequence of the show, Kurt watched in undisguised awe as the scene was shot in one go, planes rolling onto sets as characters dueled atop them. Fire and water explosions erupted from center stage, the casting directors watching from the front of the stage as the action unfolded. Jones appeared to be struggling once more against an opponent three times his size, getting thrown around the set with seemingly reckless abandon.

Miraculously, Jones escaped when his opponent was mowed down by one of the planes spiraling out of control behind them, leaping on top of the plane as it spun.

At last, Jones freed a woman and escaped, leading her to safety off-screen as an even larger wall of fire erupted behind them, ending the shot. Rising to his feet with the rest of the crowd to applaud the actors and cast, Kurt cheered until his hands felt raw from clapping, reluctant to leave by the time Blaine and he shuffled out of the theatre with the rest.

"That was amazing," he said. "I don't know what Rachel was talking about, television and movies? Sound amazing."

"Even the whole explosions and potential loss of limb deal?" Blaine asked teasingly, hand-in-hand as they exited the theatre.

Rolling his eyes and nudging Blaine's shoulder, Kurt ignored him, humming cheerfully as they walked under the shade of palm trees in the growing heat. "I thought you liked explosions," he pointed out after a time. "You know, with your interest in Marvel and everything."

"I do," Blaine assured, swinging their hands lightly between them. "I just wasn't aware that you were into explosions."

"I can be," Kurt allowed. "That doesn't mean that I'm going to watch Marvel all night with you," he added.

Blaine pouted but conceded the point, switching the subject to a late lunch as they crossed Hollywood Boulevard. They'd barely gone twenty feet when they bumped into a group of cast members dressed-up as fifties characters, all hanging out near a van as a growing crowd formed around them. "So let me tell you how this works, see," the spokesman was explaining, pacing to and fro as the others lingered closer to the van, "let's say you have a pair of sunglasses. Ninety-nine sunglasses walk into a bar, the bartender says, 'Sorry, we don't serve any sunglasses here.' And the sunglasses say, 'Why not?' And the bartender says, 'Because last time you made a spectacle of yourself."

Kurt snorted while Blaine laughed, the other cast members playing along as the spokesman continued, "And the sunglasses say, 'We don't want to drink here anyway; it's too shady.'"

Passing the mic to another cast member, the spokesman stepped back as a woman in a wildly spotted skirt stepped forward and declared, "Cars, so we've got ninety-nine cars drive into a bar, the bartender goes, 'Sorry, we don't serve any cars here.' And the cars go, 'Aw, come on, give us a brake."

And so it went, with hats and umbrellas and watches, anything that caught the cast members' eyes. Captured by the performance, Kurt and Blaine lingered even as the crowd thinned out again, newcomers milling past as other tourists left to find other amusements.

At last, stomachs rumbling and unable to linger any longer without imagining food-related puns, Kurt and Blaine slipped away to the Starring Rolls Café, entering the air-conditioned shop and groaning in mutual relief.

"Air conditioning is the single greatest invention of all time," Blaine said, draping himself over a chair as Kurt lingered near the counter to look at all the baked goods available.

"Mmm, air conditioning and iced water," Kurt agreed, purchasing two large waters and a pair of vanilla cupcakes, bringing all four items over to the table that Blaine had staked out and setting them down on top. "Bon appetit," he declared, picking up his own water and chugging a quarter of it in a single go.

* * *

Refreshed and ready to tackle their next challenge, they emerged from the Starring Rolls Café onto Sunset Boulevard. At the end of the long street stood the Tower of Terror. Even from a respectable distance, screams were audible, Kurt cowering into Blaine's shoulder at the prospect of actually riding it. Looking around for a more enjoyable way to spend their time, they eventually found it in the form of gift shops.

Embracing his touristy side, Blaine thrived indoors, finding new delights around every corner as Kurt browsed more sedately. He still laughed at the tackier Mickey Mouse sweaters that Blaine found, squeaking and fleeing whenever Blaine tried to pull a wide-brimmed hat over his head.

Just when he was beginning to wonder if his fiancé would ever tire of the shop, Kurt followed his voice and found him around another corner. "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat, wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl, the girl who has -- everything?" Blaine sang, swaying with a white sweater draped over his back, its arms around his chest.

"Look at this trove, treasures untold, how many sweaters can one cavern hold? Looking around here you think, sure she's got -- everything!

"I've got gadgets and gizmos a plenty. I've got whosits and whatsits galore. You want thingamabobs? I got twenty."

Tossing a sweater over his head that Blaine replaced on a shelf with a beaming smile, Kurt all but dragged him out of the shop, emerging onto the crowded boulevard once more.

* * *

They skipped the Tower of Terror -- Kurt was absolutely convinced that he wouldn't enjoy it, no matter how convincing Blaine's arguments might be -- and angled over to the Beauty and the Beast performance instead, slipping in just in time for the three-thirty showing. The setting was pleasantly intimate with only a hundred guests scattered around the theatre; Kurt kept his fingers intertwined with Blaine's on Blaine's knee as they watched Belle and Gaston dance around each other, accompanied by dozens of townspeople.

As the scene shifted from the open and airy marketplace to the Beast's castle, Kurt mouthed along to the songs, almost entirely unconscious at first and then, ears reddening when Blaine kissed his cheek during a break between songs, a little self-consciously as he leaned his head against Blaine's shoulder. He relaxed again for Beauty and the Beast, aware of Blaine humming underneath him as his fingers stroked rhythmically against Kurt's hip.

The Beast himself was splendid, as imposing and magnificent on stage as he had been up close, but what struck Kurt the most was the delicate way that he handled Belle's hand during their dance, careful not to let his claws graze her fingers. They were both masterful performers, and Kurt applauded with the rest when each number came to a rest before slipping seamlessly into the next.

By the end of the show -- the Beast restored to full humanhood and the Beauty and the Beast reprise playing -- Kurt was clapping along with the rest, sitting up to do so properly. Reluctant though they were to leave the fairy tale like setting, they eventually filed out of the theatre with the remaining guests, Kurt sighing happily as he beheld the boulevard in its true splendor.

"I wanna live here," he said, looking at Blaine and pouting.

"I thought you wanted to live in New York?" Blaine teased, swinging their arms lightly between them, almost alone on the circular walkway, now, shaded beneath the palm trees.

Sighing as he considered that, Kurt let Blaine twirl him once before coming to a stop in front of him. "I do," he conceded at last, not wanting to give him any ground because there was something in the air at Disney that just made him want to be a part of it. "But it's Disney. Belle lives here."

"She's visiting here," Blaine corrected. Kurt cocked his head quizzically at him. "She lives in Paris."

"Guess we'll have to visit there someday, too," Kurt mused.

A grin spread across Blaine's face. "They have a Disneyland."

"Then we will visit this Parisian Disneyland and meet Belle in her homeland," Kurt determined, laughing when Blaine twirled under his arm. "God, you are the dorkiest dancer sometimes."

And so they waltzed along as Disney music played distantly in the background, Blaine's head resting on Kurt's shoulder as Kurt hummed and led the dance.

* * *

By four thirty, they had both purchased more water and ended up in the Animation Courtyard around the Magic Mickey Hat, crossing underneath the pedestal and entering the Magic of Disney Animation studio. Inside, they passed the time learning how to draw different Disney characters with guidance from an animation director and Mushu himself. To Kurt's profound amusement, Mushu took an immediate liking to Blaine, measuring him up before leaning up on tiptoe and prompting another round of laughter from Kurt.

It was fun seeing how the simple geometrical shapes came together in real time without clumsy art books for guidance, the animation director cheerfully guiding them through the process. They both made passable drawings by the end of the tour, even though Blaine's Simba closely resembled a misshapen Stitch. With more refined skills from working with outfits his entire life (and thus, condensed, minimized sketches), Kurt was able to produce more accurate reproductions, fascinated by the process as their animations came to life.

Once they ambled back out of the studio and into open air, they were quickly engulfed in a much thicker crowd than before, wandering around Hollywood Studios and taking in the evening attractions. It was still light out -- and would be for hours yet -- but it was also pleasantly cooler, now, without the same blistering heat as noon.

They found a family of ducks outside one of the fountains and watched them waddle across the crowded street, a mother leading the way as six ducklings toddled after her. Cooing sympathetically when they reached a step that the ducklings were unable to scale, Kurt watched in mild concern as they jumped up and fell back down in repeated attempts to cross the ledge. "Should we help them?" Blaine asked, sitting on the bench beside him and looking worried down at the ducks.

"No, just wait," Kurt urged despite his own doubts, relieved when the ducklings finally managed to hop onto the step, one by one. "See?"

As their avian companions trundled off, Kurt and Blaine made their way back around to the American Idol Experience theatre, passing through Pixar Avenue and along the well built-up Star Tours area before reaching the front entrance to the theatre.

"I'll see you after the show," Kurt said, kissing him once for good luck before filing into the queue as Blaine beamed and scurried off towards the behind-the-scenes area, presenting his paperwork from before and disappearing behind a black door.

It took twenty minutes for Kurt to get seated inside a small but comfortable amphitheater circling around the stage. The resemblance to the American Idol soundstage was immediate and striking; even the panels on the seat armrest were clearly meant to resemble the remotes used by studio audiences in LA. There were TV screens facing the audience and special lighting fixtures attached to the ceiling to add to the authenticity of the show. A beaming male host was already on stage warming up, all but bouncing in place as he said, "Howdy, folks; my name's Mike and I'll be your pre-show host for this evening. Are you all ready for the American Idol Experience?"

There were cheers from the crowd, music playing overhead to keep the excitement mounting as Mike introduced them to their remotes and walked them through the rules of the show. Already wriggling in his seat, anxious to see Blaine and especially curious to see his competition, Kurt startled himself by laughing as Mike froze mid-dance when the music switched and said, "Now stop -- Hammer Time."

He clapped along with the rest as Mike shuffled his way across stage, never missing a beat. After a time, Mike said, "Thank you very much, folks; we're just about ready to get started!" With that, he darted off stage, the lights dimming as silence descended over the theatre, the entire audience waiting for its next cue.

Helpfully, the TV screens above flashed APPLAUSE as the American Idol theme song burst into life and the stage lights flared, flashing in all directions before stabilizing as Ryan Seacrest appeared on screen.

In much the same way that Mike had, Ryan introduced them to the show and its components -- namely, three singers (one of whom was Blaine; Kurt's heart sped up at the thought, delighted that he would have an opportunity to really hear him sing again) -- and how the voting worked. Next, there were pep talks from various American Idol singers that had made it thanks to their Disney "dream tickets" (acquired after beating out various levels of competition on the American Idol Experience stage and enabling them to jump to the front of the line at one American Idol audition). Finally, they were introduced to the first singer, a young woman that reminded Kurt of a younger female version of Sam.

She sang a surprisingly good rendition of Belle. Of course, in the wake of hearing the Belle perform, Kurt wasn't overly impressed, but he still enjoyed the performance and applauded politely at the end. Impatient to hear Blaine sing, he was disappointed when the host announced another name he didn't know, introducing another young woman who covered Colors of the Wind. Kurt could tell she was the clear frontrunner by the end of the performance, almost forgetting his anticipation for Blaine's performance as he listened, moved.

And then the host announced their third and final contestant, Blaine Anderson, and Kurt all but squealed in delight, beaming as Blaine stepped up to center stage and smiled at everyone, singling out Kurt almost immediately.

He drew in a deep breath as he closed his eyes, music filtering into the theatre as he stepped up to the mic and sang, Reflection.

Even if his voice hadn't already been breathtaking, Blaine's aching rendition of the classic Mulan song would have been enough to fully win Kurt over. He was amazed and disappointed when it ended, clapping loudly as Blaine ducked his head for a moment, bashful, before offering a smile and a little bow before retreating back to his chair.

They voted for their favorites and female Sam won, the crowd applauding as Mike bopped back onto stage to round out the finale. Unable to keep his smile off his face, Blaine shuffled out with the rest of the contestants backstage as Kurt, a full three minutes later, joined him outside the theatre, launching himself into Blaine's arms for a tight hug.

"You were amazing," he insisted, kissing his cheek once and pouting sympathetically. "I can't believe she won -- your performance was perfect."

Blaine laughed and kissed the tip of his nose, an amused smile crossing his lips as he explained, "Honestly, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I didn't expect to come in second, and she was really nice backstage."

"This calls for a celebration," Kurt said, Blaine grinning in agreement as they linked arms under the darkening sky and ambled off into the night.

* * *

"Oh my God, you have to try this," Kurt said, eyes closing in sheer pleasure before he took another bite from his dish. "Actually, you have to imagine you're trying this because it's too good to share."

"The ultimate test of how good a food actually is," Blaine agreed sagely. He was smiling when Kurt looked, still wearing his ridiculously touristy attire but somehow pulling it off, suave and confident in his seat. "I'm having a really great time," he said, resting his chin on his hand as he watched Kurt eat.

Kurt paused with a forkful already lifted to his mouth, smiling as he pointed out, "I'm pretty sure it's impossible not to love Disney."

"No, I mean --" Waving a hand to encompass the restaurant, Blaine explained, "I'm having a really great time with you. Don't get me wrong, Disney is amazing, but it's so much better than I thought it would be because of you."

Unable to keep from blushing lightly at the praise, Kurt took another bite of his chicken risotto before responding, chewing slowly. "I'm having a really great time, too," was all he said, reaching across the table to intertwine their hands, Blaine's thumb sweeping over his knuckles.

The Hollywood Derby was even more splendid on the inside than it had appeared from the outside, with broad sweeping seating areas and wood paneling accenting the space nicely. There were dozens of other tables around them, hundreds of other patrons dining alongside them, but with Blaine across from him and two scrumptious dishes in front of them, Kurt couldn't be bothered to care about any of them.

He had Blaine and Blaine was all he needed, even if Disney brought out the best in both of them.

* * *

The outdoor amphitheater was crowded by the time they arrived.

They only had to wait ten minutes before the lights dimmed and Fantasmic began. With water and laser lights shown in tandem to music, the show was lively from the start, featuring fireworks and real fire as Mickey Mouse himself battled at the top of the mountain with great and unseen forces. There were other Disney characters involved, too, and Kurt watched enraptured as Fantasmic got fully underway, with Mickey still at the helm as they leaped from one exciting scene to the next, each stunt more daring than the last.

Kurt, for his part, managed to stay awake until the end of the show, applauding with everyone as fireworks rounded off the performance, pleased that it had been exactly as good as he'd been hoping for.

Once they hit the bus back to the hotel after a lengthy walk back through the park, however, Kurt's eyelids slid shut of their own accord, his forehead resting against Blaine's shoulder as they sat near one of the back windows together. He stayed awake just long enough to shuffle drunkenly from bus to hotel to elevator to room, collapsing in a heap on the bed and dragging Marshmallow closer so he could bury his face against it.

"What a day."

"I know," Blaine agreed, shucking off his clothes and changing into more suitable pajamas before tugging Kurt to a seated position to do the same. Kurt whined as Blaine coaxed him out of his shirt, replacing it with a soft, downy gray one and tugging his pants off, leaving him in just his boxers.

Shuffling back up the bed and holding out his arms importantly, Kurt waited until Blaine crawled into them before humming, Marshmallow squished between their sides.

"I love you," he said, resting his cheek against the top of Blaine's head as Blaine reached for the light switch, flicking it off.

"Love you, too," he replied, kissing Kurt's jaw as he snuggled down for a well-deserved night's rest.


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt hummed sleepily as a feather-light kiss was brushed against the corner of his jaw. He lingered between sleep and wakefulness for several long moments, opting for the latter when Blaine continued to press kiss after kiss along his cheekbone. Tilting his head to kiss him properly, Kurt scrunched up his nose and murmured, "We both have morning breath."

"Doesn't bother me," Blaine replied, nuzzling his jaw. He hadn't shaved yet and the stubble on his cheeks was faint but still detectable, scraping lightly over Kurt's skin. "Does it bother you?"

"Mm." Torn between pushing him aside and pulling him in for another kiss, Kurt was spared the necessity when Blaine resumed pressing kisses along his jaw. Indulging in the comforting pressure of Blaine's lips on his skin for several long, heady moments, Kurt nudged his hip and sat up, forcing Blaine to retreat as he did so. "You're all stubbly," he mused, not quite ready to leave the pleasantly warm cocoon that they'd created for themselves on the mattress amid the rumpled covers, reaching up to brush his hands over Blaine's cheeks.

Blaine turned his head to kiss the center of Kurt's palm, sending a shiver down his spine before he dropped his hand and said, "We aren't going to make it to the parks if you keep doing that."

There was a spark of interest in Blaine's eyes as they flitted downward briefly, contemplative, before at last he let out a gusty sigh and nodded. Kurt knew that it would be nice to spend the morning in, to just touch and lavish and love each other, but he also knew that they had countless days ahead of them where they could make up for lost time. Contrarily, Disney would not be a part of their immediate future, and as much as he would have enjoyed the relaxation, Kurt didn't want to miss out on that aspect of their vacation.

So they showered separately and dressed. Kurt strung his camera around his neck and his satchel over one shoulder while Blaine tried on three different polos before selecting a white one to match Kurt's gray red. As Kurt sat on the end of the bed and finished lacing up his boots, Blaine held up one of the pairs of groom Mickey Mouse ears that they'd bought on their first day in the parks, placing it jauntily over his own curls.

"How do I look?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Kurt asked dryly.

To his credit, Blaine only pouted and leaned forward to steal a kiss before he removed the ears.

They left the hotel before nine, picking up muffins from the breakfast bar on the way out and nibbling on them as they waited for the monorail. Kurt relished the buzz of excitement underneath his skin as they waited for the monorail. They'd already spent four days in Disney exploring the parks, but the overwhelming sense of anticipation hadn't dissipated in the slightest, reaching a near fever-pitch as the monorail pulled into the station and whisked them away to the Magic Kingdom.

Almost at once, they were swept away with the crowds into the main part of the park. The temperature was already hovering at a balmy eighty-two degrees. Thankfully Kurt rose to the challenge of reapplying sunscreen while keeping his overeager fiancé in sight. As soon as he'd capped the bottle and tucked it back in his satchel he grabbed one of Blaine's hands and let himself be towed down the length of Main Street USA.

There was music playing overhead and the beginnings of a parade forming around them, cast members roping off large sections of the sidewalk so that bystanders weren't in the parade path.

Itching to hit the attractions before the lines grew, Kurt angled them away from the parade and steered them into Tomorrowland.

The crowds had already proliferated to such a degree that even thirty minutes after the park's opening Space Mountain had a twenty-five minute wait time.

"That's actually not that bad," Blaine said, and Kurt couldn't help but agree with him; most of the big coasters demanded forty-five minutes as a rule. Still, sensing Kurt's resistance to board another rollercoaster after Expedition Everest, Blaine bumped his shoulder against Kurt's and said lightly, "Isn't now the time to be adventurous?"

With a sigh that promised vengeance if it was worse than Kurt recalled, Kurt waved a hand in broad permission and said, "Lead the way."

Blaine took his hand and did just that.

Comforted by the thought that he knew what to expect, Kurt followed Blaine down the long, winding corridors into the steel mountain's heart with a sense of growing excitement. It had been one of their first rides in Disney and was destined to be one of their last. Kurt couldn't think of a more fitting way to begin the day, even if he still doubted the soundness of the ride itself.

They only had to wait in line for twenty minutes or so gazing up at the sweeping panorama of stars above them before their car slid into place and the gates keeping them from boarding it opened.

His own excitement evidently uncontainable, Blaine slid into the front seat with a delighted, "Kurt, look, we're up front!" as Kurt hesitantly slid into the seat behind him, anxiety returning full-force. He yanked twice on the lap bar to confirm that it was secure before sliding a hand onto Blaine's shoulder and squeezing it. Blaine's own hand covered Kurt's as he squeezed back. "We've done this before," he reminded, tilting his head back to look at Kurt.

Drawing in a deep breath, Kurt said, "I know." He couldn't help his nerves; he'd always been a little wary around rollercoasters after one particularly unpleasant visit to Six Flags when the coaster had stopped for hours. Even knowing that the ride was safe and that he had survived it once provided little comfort as the car slid around the short track and his hands crept down to hang onto the lap bar instead, clinging fiercely as they swerved around a corner.

To Kurt, the first bend seemed much darker than it had the first time. Without the benefit of sight Kurt felt panic rising in his throat until they rounded a bend into a brightly lit tunnel and began to ascend, Blaine's hand settling palm-up on his own shoulder invitingly. Gratefully, Kurt clasped it, staring in undisguised fascination at a mock Mars landing scene until they reached the apex of the hill and he had to clutch the lap bar once more.

They skirted a curve at a speed that Kurt would hardly have classified as safe before they hit the first drop. The car zipped downward so fast that it made Kurt's teeth clench as they fell into near total darkness. He clung to the lap bar as they wove their way through space, torn between the strange thrill of not knowing what was coming and the nearly overwhelming urge to bury his face against Blaine's shoulder.

Blissfully unaware of Kurt's struggle, Blaine crowed happily the entire ride, letting out a near constant stream of whoo-hoos that echoed with each plunge.

Kurt was so focused on not dying (a reality that seemed increasingly probable with each new drop) that he didn't immediately register that the ride had come to a halt. Prying his fingers off the lap bar, he let out a shaky breath and climbed to his feet, letting Blaine steady him with an arm around his waist once he was there.

"You okay?" Blaine rubbed his side, looking torn between untamed gleefulness -- his curls alone were spectacular -- and genuine concern for Kurt's state of mind.

Unable to keep his amusement quiet, Kurt reached up with an aborted laugh to flatten Blaine's hair down. "You should see your hair," was all he said.

"Hmm?" Blaine turned to the nearest reflective object and groaned.

Kurt had to admit that even if it hadn't been the most enjoyable experience of his life to date, Space Mountain was definitely worth it for the curls.

* * *

While Blaine tamed his hair in a restroom, Kurt sat on a bench outside and watched Stitch interact with a gaggle of six-year-olds.

They received hugs, high-fives, and handshakes, and countless photos were taken as Stitch charmed the kids and signed autographs books. Kurt was particularly enchanted by a tiny five-year-old boy who toddled up and hugged Stitch, again and again and again.

He looked over to see if Blaine had emerged from the restroom -- or subsequently been absorbed into the growing crowds -- only to hear Stitch shuffle onto the bench beside him.

The line had disappeared, Kurt noted, not looking at him as Stitch scooted closer. For a moment Kurt was certain that his instinct had been wrong and Stitch was looking for a friend to interact with, and then Stitch reached out and took his hand. The stillness held for a moment before he presented Kurt with a rose and Kurt laughed, taking it and accepting a kiss on the cheek.

Blaine choose that moment to reappear, pouting playfully as he said, "You already found a replacement for me?"

"I do love a good romantic gesture," Kurt teased. "Where's your rose?"

"I have an even better proposition."

Folding one leg comfortably over the other, Stitch glancing between them all the while, Kurt said, "Do tell."

"Ah, ah. That would give away the surprise."

Kurt sighed in resignation as he stood, passing the rose back to Stitch almost sadly. "It seems that my wayward suitor has a romantic gesture planned," he explained as Stitch curled his clawed hand back around the rose.

"I'm hardly wayward," Blaine said, pouting.

"Not anymore," Kurt permitted, kissing him on the cheek.

They ended up taking three pictures with Stitch, including one with Blaine on one knee and Stitch clapping behind them as Kurt held the rose that Blaine had "given" him.

* * *

After saying their good-byes to Stitch they spent ten minutes wandering around Tomorrowland looking for their next target. The parade was already in full swing at the main part of the park outside of Cinderella's castle, keeping the walkways relatively clear as people flocked to watch the performance. Even so, Astro Orbiter and the Tomorrowland Speedway both had forty-five minute wait times, knocking them out of consideration; the Carousel of Progress was similarly ruled out due to time.

Which left Stitch's Great Escape (having met Stitch himself, they felt guilt-free skipping it), the Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor (a solid maybe with a wait time of twenty minutes, but still leaning towards a no) and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.

With only a ten minute wait time, it appealed to their time-constrained sensibilities. Open-minded though they were about age recommendations (the ride had been recommended for all ages, but the majority were clearly under ten with accompanying adults), they still shared a brief, dubious glance before they filed into the queue.

Inside, the line wound seemingly endlessly around a room filled with scenes from Buzz Lightyear's more dramatic encounters with Zurg, the villainous and perpetually-frowning caped robot determined to stop him. Convinced that they had walked into the Toy Story equivalent of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Kurt continued to file along the queue as an animated Buzz boldly recruited the room for assistance in defeating Zurg, refusing to be daunted.

The black-and-green waiting area melded seamlessly into a room filled with cars moving along a non-stop track. A cast member guided them into an open vehicle, instructing them to remain seated and to keep all of their belongings inside the vehicle at all times. Stowing his satchel safely between them and taking a hold of the bright green laser gun directly in front of him, Kurt looked up at the cartoons of Buzz and Zurg engaged in distant battle as they glided towards a dark entrance.

The door slid shut beside them unprompted just before they passed underneath the arch. Glancing around their pod, intrigued in spite of himself by the blank score bars and the lasers themselves, Kurt didn't miss the joystick in the center of the dash with a single explanatory note: SPIN.

Nudging it to the left, Kurt squeaked as the pod swung around wildly. He made it do a full spin as Blaine clutched his arm with a startled yelp, unseated at the sudden movement.

They spun and spun and spun, Kurt laughing while Blaine slid against him in the seat, at last coming to a dizzying halt as their pod slowly looped around a dark circular room as they listened to Star Command issue orders. Kurt only caught half of the spiel as he spun them the opposite way, Blaine clinging to his arm and the pod's side in turns.

Then they were in the heart of the ride and suddenly there were hundreds of Z-marked circles on aliens weaving and spinning and gliding out of sight left, right, and center. Kurt pressed down on the trigger button of his laser gun and jumped when it emitted a warped beep, a tiny red light hitting a nearby target and bringing his score up to 250. Blaine was already firing at the Z-marked aliens, his score racketing up higher and higher as he did so. Hastening to even out the playing field, Kurt spun the vehicle sharply to the left and fired into a crowd of Zs, spinning right before Blaine could catch up.

They jockeyed for the joystick in playful turns, Kurt overwhelmingly taking control as he spun them around and around and around, dizzying Blaine to the point of groaning and declaring, "Not fair, not fair, not fair."

They continued to rack up points as the pod drifted through various alien-inhabited landscapes, at last reaching a broad black tunnel with dozens of high-ranking targets zipping past, crowds of laser beams chasing them. Thoroughly enjoying himself, Kurt continued to turn them in full- and half-spins as often as he dared, firing at the targets all the while.

When at last they reached the end of the ride -- Kurt had the higher score, and he couldn't suppress his smile at the thought -- Blaine was so dizzy that he almost fell over as they unloaded at another moving dock. Kurt laughed as he steadied Blaine on his feet, weaving a little as they shuffled through the attached gift shop.

By the time they were back in the open air, the parade had ended and Tomorrowland was noticeably more crowded despite massive white clouds overhead that promised a storm in the afternoon or evening. Waiting for Blaine to regain his land-legs, Kurt led them down the main walkway until they spilled over into Fantasyland, the parade wrapping up on Main Street as the crowds began to spread throughout the park more evenly.

"I have a proposition for you," Blaine said at last, coming to a halt just outside of a new building that Kurt didn't recognize.

Curious, Kurt tilted his head and passed him the water bottle, waiting.

"I know it's a little out of our way," Blaine began, sounding somewhat sheepish at the notion -- it was their last day in Disney, after all -- before pursuing his goal regardless, "but I thought we could meet Anna and Elsa."

It had been almost a year since the Frozen characters had arrived in the parks, and their wait times had subsequently dropped from three hours at their peak to a far more reasonable forty-five minutes most days, but the notion still struck Kurt as curious. They hadn't actually actively waited for characters yet, merely going up to them as they chanced upon them. But it was Frozen and they both did love the movie. It was also something that he wouldn't have the opportunity to do back in New York.

Not to mention Blaine's puppy eyes, neither coaxing nor dissuading but somehow managing to imply how very much he wanted to do it.

"Let's do it," Kurt decided.

The wait was well worth it for the beam that lit up Blaine's face.

* * *

Even though Blaine all but wriggled with excitement by the time they were close enough to see the princesses (princess and queen, Kurt corrected himself; not that that wasn't liable to change in the future with a sequel on the way), Kurt surprised himself with his own eagerness to see them. They were both stunning, and as soon as they were in reach Kurt completely forget his calm response and promptly babbled, "Your dress is gorgeous."

"Oh, thank you," Elsa said, blushing demurely. "Are you familiar with ice sculpture? I'm nowhere near an expert yet, but it was the best that I could do."

"Nonsense," Anna piped in, smiling at her. "Don't listen to her: she's the best at what she does and everyone knows it."

"I don't think everyone knows it," Elsa insisted with a small smile of her own. "Of course, you seem to know quite a bit about fashion yourself," she added, nodding at Kurt's outfit.

Blushing -- he hadn't spent nearly enough time on his outfit for it to merit such praise -- Kurt insisted, "Yours is just spectacular."

"I'm flattered," Elsa said, looking down at her own dress and smiling.

There was a beat, and then Anna darted around Elsa's back and exclaimed, "And forgive us for being so rude! Who's your friend?" she asked, linking arms with Blaine. "He's cute."

"Should I tell Kristoff that you've found a new husband?" Elsa teased.

Flapping a hand dismissively, Anna stuck her tongue out at Elsa when she wasn't looking and drawled, "Very funny. What's your name?"

"I'm Blaine, and this is actually my fiancé, Kurt," Blaine added.

"Oh my gosh, that's wonderful!" Anna seemed to glow with genuine delight at the news, looking between them with a newfound sense of excitement. "Are we invited to the wedding? We're very good at weddings."

Elsa laughed at that, straightening her dress. "I take it you don't remember what happened with Hans very well?"

Puffing out a breath, Anna sighed and told Blaine conspiratorially, "Never marry a man you just met. She still won't let me forget it."

Coughing once to dissuade his own amusement -- Kurt had ultimately agreed to meet the same man who had met him on the staircase that first day at Dalton -- Kurt shuffled in closer at a cast member's urging to stay in the frame as she snapped photographs of them. Anna was busy ticking off potential wedding gift ideas with Blaine, gesturing energetically with both hands to demonstrate her points (she'd surrendered her grip on his arm in order to do so).

The bright-eyed look on Blaine's face was worth every second.

"She's hopeless once she gets started," Elsa confided in a sigh, a fond smile on her face as Anna held up her hands like antlers demonstratively. "Come on, you; I'm sure Kurt and Blaine have other parts of the kingdom to visit." She held out an arm and Kurt took it, settling into place beside her as Blaine did the same thing on Anna's side, her bouncy step conveying her infectious enthusiasm.

They smiled for pictures and reluctantly parted ways, agreeing to send them both an invitation to the wedding and waving their good-byes.

"That was definitely worth a forty-five minute wait," Blaine said, still looking dazzled and immensely pleased as they stepped out on the sunny boulevard outside the Fairytale Hall. "I can't believe we just met Anna and Elsa."

Kissing his cheek in mutual amazement over their good fortune, Kurt asked, "Where should we go next?"

Blaine paused to think about it, basking in the sunshine and radiating delight at their latest experience, before saying at last, "I have an idea."

* * *

"This is your idea?" Kurt asked, plucking nervously at the lap bar as they sat in the middle of the train, ready to take off on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride.

"Uh huh," Blaine said, wriggling a little in excitement as he added, "it's still one of their newest attractions, and the wait time hasn't been under an hour in months." Looking around the dark cavern with bright eyes, he added, "I wonder how fast it goes."

"You don't know?" Kurt asked, torn between being aghast with fear and hysterical at the thought before the train zipped into motion.

It rocketed along the track at a speed that made speech impossible, diving and swooping and curling around and around through the hilly landscape. Kurt clung to the lap bar as Blaine whooped at his side, joining in with a shriek of his own whenever they plummeted down a particularly steep hill.

Still, there was nothing unexpected about it -- no backwards plunges and no Yeti encounters -- and even glued to his lap bar Kurt found himself enjoying the ride. It wasn't unlike Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which they had tackled their first day in the parks, or even the more heart-stopping Splash Mountain.

When the train at last slid into the station at the end of the tracks, Kurt let out a gusty breath and deflated against his seat, grateful that he had survived intact. He reached out and took Blaine's hands to climb out of the car, stumbling along as they disembarked. To its credit, Blaine's hair had also survived the ordeal relatively intact, although Kurt noted with amusement that it was curling around the edges again.

Outside, the clouds had gathered into even larger formations, but Kurt wasn't worried about the weather as they ambled through the park. Weaving through the crush of Fantasyland visitors into the more sparsely populated Liberty Square (although only just -- Kurt still kept a firm hold on Blaine's hand as they walked), they entered the Hall of Presidents and watched as animatronic versions of the POTUS' interacted with each other and the audience in turns. The air-conditioned theater was a pleasant excuse to escape the heat, and Kurt enjoyed the amount of detail that had been put into each of the animatronics into bringing their namesakes alive.

They snagged drinks from a nearby venue and then crossed over to the Haunted Mansion.

Only vague recollections of a childhood visit kept Kurt from refusing to try the ride altogether. They wound along a lengthy queue into a cool, high-ceilinged room, listening to a cast member explain the rules as the doors slid shut behind them, enclosing them completely inside. Clinging to Blaine's hand as the ceiling rose and four portraits high on the walls lengthened, Kurt watched in a sort of morbid fascination as more dire scenes unfolded -- including a woman standing tiptoe on a tightrope over a crocodile and a man standing on a keg of dynamite.

Just as the narrator's grim warnings reached a peak there was a flash of lightning and then the room went pitch black.

Shaking like a leaf by the time the lights came back on, Kurt shuffled after Blaine on wooden legs until they reached the non-stop pod-like cars, sliding into the seat and breathing out slowly to calm himself.

Thankfully, the remainder of the ride was far more pleasant, involving a tour through the Haunted Mansion's more eclectic rooms. They saw dancing ghosts spread out over a large ballroom, a floating green head prophesizing in a crystal ball, and countless other anomalies designed to capture their attention. Kurt was so busy trying to figure out how the ghosts were able to move across the floor that he almost missed their own ghoulish hitchhiker in the seat between them, caught on camera as they entered the unloading area.

The image of a portly ghost crammed into the space between them was so absurd that Kurt laughed. Pleasantly surprised at how easygoing the ride had been, Kurt stepped out of their pod with a bit more spring in his step, rejuvenated by the fact that they had already managed so much in less than three hours in the parks.

* * *

Their pace slowed down considerably by two o'clock, hunger gnawing at them as they sat on a bench in front of Cinderella's castle and watched a family of ducks trot off into a small man-made lake. They had already navigated most of Fantasyland and everything in Adventureland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland that they cared to see. Main Street USA was so busy that visitors were hardly able to squeeze past each other on the streets, and Liberty Square hardly better off at their immediate right.

Weighing the pros and cons of attempting any more attractions -- particularly any in the jam-packed Fantasyland area -- they agreed that their returns wouldn't be worth the wait and opted instead to weave their way slowly back down Main Street and onto the monorail that would lead them back to the hotel.

Difficult though it was to say good-bye to the park, knowing that it was their last day in Disney and they would only be back once more for Wishes, Kurt knew that they had made the right decision as the heat climbed into the mid-nineties and the crowds continued to pour in.

* * *

Their first order of business back at the hotel was to find lunch. Thankfully, the Grand Floridian didn't disappoint with its three-course meals. Kurt was so full by the time they waddled out of the restaurant that he gaped openly at Blaine's admission that he wouldn't mind spending some time in the pool, struggling as he was to even conceptualize exercise so soon after eating.

Humoring him, Kurt dropped off his satchel and camera and changed into a more comfortable lounging outfit as Blaine threw on a pair of blue swim trunks and a white shirt before tossing a towel over his shoulder. The pool was empty; everyone, it seemed, was either at the parks or recovering in their rooms from being at the parks. Undaunted, Blaine let Kurt slather him with sunscreen (a process that neither found objectionable, even though Blaine insisted that he didn't actually need the sunscreen) and hopped into the water as soon as Kurt gave him the all-clear with a flippant wave of his hand, splashing him a little in the process.

Sprawling out on top of one of the lounge chairs underneath an umbrella, Kurt watched Blaine loll around in the pool, alternating between floating on his back and leaning against the wall to chat with Kurt. Try though he might to feign disinterest, Kurt couldn't completely pull off the look as his gaze lingered on Blaine's back. Determined though he was not to get in the pool -- he would roast, and there were enough opportunities to do so back in Ohio without the same risks that he didn't feel compelled to try it -- Kurt inched close enough to dangle his feet into the water, kicking lightly as they talked.

In the end, the lower half of his shorts ended up soaked and Kurt's neck and cheeks adopted a reddish glow that had nothing to do with exertion.

None of it mattered; they were in Disney, and they were engaged, and Kurt couldn't be happier.

* * *

They didn't reach EPCOT until three thirty. Storm clouds were gathering overhead, but neither Kurt nor Blaine was daunted as they made their way to The Land, circling the Giant Golf Ball and the Innoventions Center.

Inside The Land they snagged Fast Passes for Soarin' at six and boarded Living with the Land, Blaine leaning his head on Kurt's shoulder as Kurt leaned his head against Blaine's. The boat ride was comfortably paced, giving them ample time to absorb the greenery and innovative techniques for harnessing that greenery around them without boring them to sleep. Kurt liked the slow-paced nature of it, enjoyed being able to sit and take it all in without feeling like he was missing out, and when they pulled into the dock at the end he couldn't hide his disappointment.

Still, there were plenty of things to see outside The Land, and Kurt couldn't remain in gloomy spirits for long as they bypassed the Imagination Center and entered the World Showcase.

The weather held as they ambled towards Mexico. On their way -- and almost entirely by accident -- they veered off course onto a white veranda where a life-sized teddy bear was waving at them.

"Duffy the Disney Bear," as he was affectionately known, swept Blaine up into a hug as soon as he was close enough to do so, startling a laugh out of him. Kurt barely had a chance to snap a picture before he too was caught up in a firm embrace. Duffy had just the right amount of fluff to deliver the perfect bear hug, and Kurt was more than willing to pose for a picture as Blaine stood on the other side, Duffy's arms around them both.

Their adventures in the World Showcase were low-key but satisfying as they wandered around the lake, touring the different countries at their leisure. Having visited most of them already, they spent a good deal of time lingering over their favorites, including revisiting Maelstrom in Norway, where Blaine toyed with the horned headpieces in the attached gift shop afterward, and snagging pastries from the French bakery shop (which was just as divine as Kurt had remembered it).

They had almost completed the loop and were lingering in the United Kingdom when the storm broke.

Darting for the nearest cover, they ducked under an awning next to a gift shop, Blaine wringing out his shirt with a laugh as Kurt brushed off his own damp satchel in dismay. "Quite the unexpected weather, isn't it?" a cheery voice remarked.

Kurt turned, startled, and bumped into Mary Poppins.

"Whoa, there," she teased, helping him straighten as they both threatened to tumble over. "What's your name?"

"K-Kurt," Kurt stuttered, thrusting out a hand and shaking hers. "I am--" Utterly unable to articulate his delight properly, he finished with a beam, "your biggest fan."

"Well, you certainly know how to charm a lady," Mary Poppins said with a matching smile. "Did you say Kurt? What a lovely name; I met the most wonderful boy once, not unlike yourself, just the most wonderful child. You're lucky to share a name." Looking at Blaine as he finished wringing out his shirt, she added, "Try hanging it out to dry later, dear; I'm not sure you'll have any success in this weather. Are you with the charming Kurt?"

To his credit, Blaine didn't stumble over his own name as he held out a hand and said, "My name's Blaine; I'm his fiancé."

"Oh, congratulations, both of you; that's splendid," she exclaimed, clasping his hand and shaking it with both of yours. "We should celebrate -- can we celebrate?" she asked, addressing her Disney guide, who nodded with a laugh. "Perfect! I know just the place."

She disappeared behind a door with stern warnings not to move an inch and returned moments later with a covered tray. Her guide swept up the tray, cool pitcher and all, and followed her back into a little covered garden area, almost but not quite out of sight of the main path. The rain trickled down the edges of the roof, pattering lightly on the ground as they each took a seat at a small garden table.

"So, tell me all about it," she commanded, pouring them each a glass of iced tea ("Is peach all right? Perfect.").

And so they did, sipping tea and trading the story between them as Mary Poppins nodded along, occasionally interjecting a comment or a laugh.

"We're getting married in May," Blaine finished, smiling at Kurt, their hands clasped on the table between them.

"I'm so happy for both of you," Mary Poppins said warmly, the rain still trickling down around them. "It's not often that you find a couple as happy as you are."

Unable to stop smiling, they exchanged good-byes and thank-yous and promises to visit again soon, darlings! before finally making their way outside of the little garden as Poppins and her guide disappeared behind a door once more with a little wave.

"Did that actually happen?" Kurt asked, shaking slightly as they ducked inside a gift shop to escape the rain, Blaine tucking an arm around his waist and kissing his cheek.

"It did," he said with a smile. "That was amazing."

Kurt, for his part, couldn't help but agree.

* * *

It was approaching five forty-five by the time they completed the loop around the World Showcase. Sharing an umbrella, they returned to The Land for their second go on Soarin'.

Even waiting in the abbreviated queue made Kurt feel vaguely nostalgic as the storm intensified outdoors, rumbles of thunder occasionally audible even in their sheltered metal cocoon. He gazed up at the tall, whimsical landscape paintings on the wall as they passed underneath them. Even though they were still in EPCOT (and subsequently, still in Disney World) Kurt felt transported as they headed deeper into the heart of the line.

At last, they boarded, sliding into the front row and gazing up at the rounded IMAX theatre as other visitors strapped in around them. Reaching over to intertwine their fingers, Blaine gave Kurt's hand a squeeze as a cast member explained the rules. When at last the lights on the vehicle dimmed and they ascended to their appropriate flight level, Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand back and let the ride enchant him.

Even as they glided over orange-laden fields (the citrusy smell was so strong that Kurt was convinced he could reach out and pluck an orange if he so dared) and across waterfalls, Kurt couldn't let go of the finite nature of their journey. They had come so far to reach Disney, and they had enjoyed their time so much, but it was, inevitably, winding down.

When at last they flew over their final destination and watched fireworks explode overhead, gently descending as the screen went black once more, Kurt clung to Blaine's hand and willed the time not to slip away.

They unbuckled slowly and made their way at a leisurely pace towards the exit, swinging their intertwined hands between them.

On their long walk back to the monorail, Kurt spared glances back at the World Showcase and then upwards towards Spaceship Earth, as the Giant Golf Ball was properly known. The tiles underneath their feet flickered lightly with tiny yellow dots, rolling in waves as they walked over and eventually past them.

Resting his head on Blaine's shoulder when they reached the monorail at last, Kurt looked outwards and said, "I already miss it."

Blaine sighed and rested his cheek against the top of Kurt's head. "Me, too," he admitted. "But it's not over yet."

* * *

And, indeed, it wasn't.

The Magic Kingdom was bustling by the time they made it back. They ate a late dinner at one of the nicer restaurants before finding a good spot in front of Cinderella's castle and settling in to wait for the show.

Trading ideas about the different attractions that they would have to visit on their next trip, they passed the time before the fireworks comfortably, looking up as the lights finally dimmed and Wishes began.

The fireworks were dazzling against the backdrop of Cinderella's castle, and Kurt couldn't take his eyes off of them as they burst into colors overhead. With music and the castle's colored lights involved in the show, it was spectacular, drawing applause at every interlude and continuing to amaze as the fireworks built up to their peak.

When the last sparks had exploded and the crowd's clapping had reached a crescendo, Kurt turned to Blaine and kissed him. It didn't matter that it was slightly off-center; Blaine was still smiling when they parted, blissfully unaware of the crowd.

"It's been an amazing trip," he said.

Kurt tilted his nose against Blaine's, nuzzling it ever so slightly, and agreed, "It really has."

Their photo albums would grow, their luggage would find its way onto the plane, and Marshmallow would take up a semi-permanent residence on a shelf featuring the best pictures from their visit. Time would soften the memories into blurred days and half-remembered experiences. But in that moment, Kurt remembered the joy that he felt, the ecstatic sense of achievement.

Every hour, every minute, and every second had been worth it.

And best of all, turning their backs on the park for the last time, even though he had to say goodbye to the rest, Kurt was able to keep Blaine with him.

A very magical trip, indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> P.S. Please let me know if there are any weird coding errors in the fic! I did my best to weed them out before publication, but some will inevitably slip through the cracks.


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